irreversible thermodynamics

Irreversible thermodynamics studies how systems naturally progress toward equilibrium when energy, matter, or information disperses in directionally spontaneous ways. It focuses on processes that are not easily reversed, like heat flowing from hot to cold or chemicals mixing. These processes produce entropy, a measure of disorder, and involve flows and exchanges driven by differences in temperature, pressure, or concentration. The field provides a framework for understanding complex real-world systems—such as engines, biological functions, or environmental changes—where irreversibility and entropy production play fundamental roles in their behavior and efficiency.