Maxwell's demon (nonfiction): Difference between revisions
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In the philosophy of thermal and statistical [[Physics (nonfiction)|physics]], Maxwell's demon is a thought experiment created by the physicist James Clerk Maxwell in which he suggested how the Second Law of Thermodynamics might hypothetically be violated. | [[File:Maxwell's_demon.svg|thumb|Diagram of Maxwell's demon at work.]] | ||
In the philosophy of thermal and statistical [[Physics (nonfiction)|physics]], Maxwell's demon is a thought experiment created by the physicist [[James Clerk Maxwell (nonfiction)|James Clerk Maxwell]] in which he suggested how the Second Law of Thermodynamics might hypothetically be violated. | |||
In the thought experiment, a [[ | In the thought experiment, a [[Demon (nonfiction)|demon]] controls a small door between two chambers of gas. | ||
As individual gas molecules approach the door, the demon quickly opens and shuts the door so that fast molecules pass into the other chamber, while slow molecules remain in the first chamber. | As individual gas molecules approach the door, the demon quickly opens and shuts the door so that fast molecules pass into the other chamber, while slow molecules remain in the first chamber. | ||
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== In the News == | == In the News == | ||
<gallery | <gallery> | ||
File:Léon Brillouin 1927.jpg|link=Léon Brillouin (nonfiction)|[[Léon Brillouin (nonfiction)|Brillouin]] did not make blood pact with Maxwell's demon. | |||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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== Nonfiction cross-reference == | == Nonfiction cross-reference == | ||
* [[Demon (nonfiction)]] | |||
* [[James Clerk Maxwell (nonfiction)]] | |||
* [[Léon Brillouin (nonfiction)]] | * [[Léon Brillouin (nonfiction)]] | ||
* [[Information theory (nonfiction)]] | * [[Information theory (nonfiction)]] | ||
Latest revision as of 19:33, 27 May 2017
In the philosophy of thermal and statistical physics, Maxwell's demon is a thought experiment created by the physicist James Clerk Maxwell in which he suggested how the Second Law of Thermodynamics might hypothetically be violated.
In the thought experiment, a demon controls a small door between two chambers of gas.
As individual gas molecules approach the door, the demon quickly opens and shuts the door so that fast molecules pass into the other chamber, while slow molecules remain in the first chamber.
Because faster molecules are hotter, the demon's behavior causes one chamber to warm up as the other cools, thus decreasing entropy and violating the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
In the News
Brillouin did not make blood pact with Maxwell's demon.
Fiction cross-reference
Nonfiction cross-reference
- Demon (nonfiction)
- James Clerk Maxwell (nonfiction)
- Léon Brillouin (nonfiction)
- Information theory (nonfiction)
- Physics (nonfiction)
External links:
- Maxwell's demon @ Wikipedia