An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Assuming that the Universe is a thermodynamically → isolated system, a state of absolute uniformity in the Universe in which all temperature differences would reduce to zero and no energy will be available for use, according to the → second law of thermodynamics. In that condition of maximum → entropy, the Universe would be in a state of unchanging death.
First introduced by the German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894) in 1854, on the basis of William Thomson’s (1824-1907) idea.

See also: → heat; → death; → Universe.