law of thermodynamics
noun
1
: conservation of energy
called also first law of thermodynamics
2
: a law in physics: mechanical work can be derived from the heat in a body only when the body is able to communicate with another at a lower temperature or all actual spontaneous processes result in an increase of total entropy
called also second law of thermodynamics
3
: a law in physics: at the absolute zero of temperature the entropy of any pure crystalline substance is zero and its derivative with respect to temperature is zero
called also third law of thermodynamics
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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