Relationship between nuclear magnetic physics and Maxwell's demon

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the relationship between nuclear magnetic physics, specifically nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and Maxwell's demon, a thought experiment in thermodynamics. Participants highlight that while Maxwell's demon metaphorically represents processes that appear to reduce entropy without work, there is no established connection between NMR and the demon concept in existing literature. The conversation emphasizes the potential for nuclear spin systems to explore quantum information and thermodynamic implications, yet no explicit references linking these two fields have been identified.

PREREQUISITES
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Statistical Physics
  • Thermodynamics
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the implications of Maxwell's demon on the second law of thermodynamics.
  • Explore the role of quantum information in nuclear spin systems.
  • Investigate experimental setups that could test the relationship between NMR and thermodynamic processes.
  • Review scientific literature on the intersection of thermodynamics and quantum mechanics.
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Physicists, researchers in quantum mechanics, and students of thermodynamics interested in the theoretical implications of Maxwell's demon and its potential connections to nuclear magnetic physics.

juliocastro
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TL;DR
I am trying to understand if there is any conceptual or theoretical connection between nuclear magnetic physics, especially nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and the idea of Maxwell's demon in thermodynamics and information theory.
Hello,
I have been studying nuclear magnetic physics, focusing on phenomena such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and I started wondering whether there is any relationship with the famous Maxwell's demon thought experiment.
Maxwell's demon is a conceptual idea often discussed in the context of thermodynamics and the physics of information. Nuclear magnetic physics, on the other hand, studies the interactions between nuclear magnetic moments and external magnetic fields, involving quantum mechanics and statistical physics.
My question is: is there any established or proposed connection between these two topics — for example, through theoretical analogies, implications for the second law of thermodynamics, or experiments inspired by the demon concept? Has such a relationship been explored in the scientific literature?
What I have considered so far:

  • Maxwell’s demon is a metaphor for processes that seem to lower entropy without doing work.
  • Nuclear spin systems can be used to investigate aspects of quantum information and thermodynamics.
  • I have not found explicit references linking NMR and Maxwell’s demon.
Any explanation, discussion, or references to research papers would be greatly appreciated.
 
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I don’t see how they would be related. I don’t know of any way to physically separate hot and cold spins using MR.
 
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