Understanding Entropy: Exploring the Variant of Maxwell's Demon

In summary, a person is confused about the Second's Law of thermodynamics and asks a question about a hypothetical scenario involving a planet with no atmosphere and two gases. The response explains that there is no conflict as both gases expand and the entropy of the system is proportional to the volume occupied. The person expresses understanding and thanks for the answer.
  • #1
fluidistic
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Hi,
I've not covered yet the Second's Law of thermodynamics so I don't understand it well. A friend of mine talked to me about Maxwell's demon and now I have the following question :
Imagine a planet such that its escape velocity is about Earth's one, but without any atmosphere. Now imagine I have a composed gas (hydrogen+argon) and I free it at ground level. After some time all the hydrogen would leave out the planet and the argon would remain on the planet. So without any intervention the 2 gases are separated. How has the entropy increased?
Thank you.
 
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  • #2
There's no conflict here- both gases expand, and the entropy of the system (planet+ gases) is proportional to the volume occupied.
 
  • #3
Andy Resnick said:
There's no conflict here- both gases expand, and the entropy of the system (planet+ gases) is proportional to the volume occupied.

Ah ok!
I thought that by separating the 2 gases the entropy would have decreased. Anyway I'll be soon studying the second law of thermodynamics so I guess I will understand what is entropy and understand better the example I gave here.
Thank you for the answer. (so there's no ambiguity, no paradox nor anything wrong with the situation described above).
 

1. What is the Variant of Maxwell's demon?

The Variant of Maxwell's demon is an extension of the original thought experiment proposed by physicist James Clerk Maxwell in 1867. It explores the concept of a hypothetical being that has the ability to selectively sort particles based on their energy, causing an increase in the overall energy of the system without any external work being done.

2. How does the Variant of Maxwell's demon differ from the original thought experiment?

The Variant of Maxwell's demon differs from the original thought experiment in that it introduces additional constraints, such as a finite amount of time for the demon to sort particles and the need for the demon to use energy in order to perform the sorting process. These constraints make the scenario more realistic and applicable to real-world systems.

3. What is the significance of the Variant of Maxwell's demon in thermodynamics?

The Variant of Maxwell's demon is significant in thermodynamics because it challenges the second law of thermodynamics, which states that the total entropy of a closed system will always increase over time. The demon's ability to decrease entropy goes against this law, leading to further exploration and understanding of the concept of entropy.

4. Has the Variant of Maxwell's demon been proven or observed in real life?

No, the Variant of Maxwell's demon has not been proven or observed in real life. It remains a thought experiment and a topic of debate and exploration in the scientific community. However, some real-world systems, such as certain biological processes, have been found to exhibit similar principles to the Variant of Maxwell's demon.

5. How does the Variant of Maxwell's demon relate to information theory?

The Variant of Maxwell's demon has significant implications in information theory, as it raises questions about the relationship between information and energy. It also highlights the role of information in thermodynamic processes and the potential for information to be used to manipulate and control energy in systems. This has led to further research in the field of information theory and its applications in thermodynamics.

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