1. The property of a system in which the time average of a variable equals its ensemble average over a long period; a condition where a system explores all possible states with equal probability.
Usage: technical; mathematics and physics; commonly used in statistical mechanics, dynamical systems, and information theory

Examples

• The ergodicity of the gas molecules in a closed container allows physicists to predict macroscopic properties from microscopic behavior.
• In statistical mechanics, ergodicity is a key assumption that justifies using time averages to compute thermodynamic quantities.
• The system's ergodicity ensures that it will eventually visit every accessible state in its phase space.
• Researchers questioned the ergodicity of the financial market model because certain states appeared unreachable.
• The ergodicity of the random walk process made it possible to apply ensemble averaging techniques.