Editing Predictability (section)

==In statistical physics==
Although the [[second law of thermodynamics]] can determine the [[equilibrium state]] that a system will evolve to, and [[steady state]]s in [[dissipative system]]s can sometimes be predicted, there exists no general rule to predict the [[time evolution]] of systems distanced from equilibrium, e.g. [[chaotic system]]s, if they do not approach an equilibrium state.  Their predictability usually deteriorates with time and to quantify predictability, the rate of divergence of system [[trajectory|trajectories]] in [[phase space]] can be measured ([[Kolmogorov–Sinai entropy]], [[Lyapunov exponent]]s).