ergotropy

English

Etymology

From ergo- +‎ -tropy.

Noun

ergotropy (uncountable)

1. (physics) The maximum amount of work that can be obtained from a quantum system
   • 2016, Amit Mukherjee, Arup Roy, Some Sankar Bhattacharya, Manik Banik, “The presence of quantum correlations result in non-vanishing ergotropic gap”, in arXiv‎^[1]:

     Eventually, presence of quantum correlations result in a non-vanishing thermodynamic quantity called ergotropic gap, measured by the difference between the global and local ergotropy.

2. (biology) A state of active adaptation to the demands of stress or physical or mental work; arousal.
   • 1971, United States, An Assessment of Noise Concern in Other Nations, Environmental Protection Agency, page 8:

     Jansen's experiments on noise-induced nervous stress establish that the effect of noise is to create a higher activation of the organism, that is, a transition of the general state from trophotropy to ergotropy.

   • 2008, Bernadette von Dawans, Neuropeptidergic Modulation of Social Behavior in Health and Social Phobia:

     This shifts the attention towards the states of ergotropy and trophotropy.

Related terms

• ergotropic