Nanotechnological Maxwell's demon?

Thread starter Loren Booda
Start date Jun 28, 2008
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Demon Maxwell's demon

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Nanotechnology has explored the concept of mechanically separating "cold" atoms from "hot" ones, inspired by Maxwell's demon. Previous attempts have reportedly succeeded in this separation, but the process resulted in increased entropy, thereby adhering to the second law of thermodynamics. This reinforces the principle that while separation is possible, it does not violate thermodynamic laws. The discussions highlight the ongoing interest in the intersection of nanotechnology and thermodynamic principles. Ultimately, these advancements demonstrate the complexities of manipulating atomic behavior without breaching fundamental physical laws.

Jun 28, 2008

Loren Booda

Has nanotechnology had any success in mechanically separating "cold" atoms from "hot" ones, an application first dreamt up by Maxwell in the late 1800s?

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Jun 28, 2008

thirdwind

I think a while back, they had machines to try to this. IIRC, they succeeded in doing it but in doing so, the machine created entropy which still satisfies the 2nd law of thermodynamics. So, it is still impossible to violate the 2nd law.

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