Maxwell's demon

Maxwell's demon
A hypothetical creature created for a thought experiment. Maxwell’s demon, if it existed, would act as a sort of gate guard by sorting between higher-energy molecules and lower-energy molecules within an enclosed space. Because such a sorting process would tend to decrease entropy, it would violate the second law of thermodynamics.

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  • Maxwell's demon — In the philosophy of thermal and statistical physics, Maxwell s demon is a thought experiment created by the Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell to show that the Second Law of Thermodynamics has only a statistical certainty. [1] It… …   Wikipedia

  • Maxwell's demon — ▪ physics       hypothetical intelligent being (or a functionally equivalent device) capable of detecting and reacting to the motions of individual molecules. It was imagined by James Clerk Maxwell (Maxwell, James Clerk) in 1871, to illustrate… …   Universalium

  • Maxwell's demon — noun Physics an imaginary being controlling a hole in a partition in a gas filled container and allowing only fast moving molecules to pass in one direction and slow moving molecules in the other, thereby producing a temperature difference in… …   English new terms dictionary

  • Maxwell's demon — noun an imaginary creature that controls a small hole in a partition that divides a chamber filled with gas into two parts and allows fast molecules to move in one direction and slow molecules to move in the other direction through the hole; this …   Useful english dictionary

  • Demon de Maxwell — Démon de Maxwell Le démon de Maxwell est une expérience de pensée inventée par James Clerk Maxwell en 1871. C est un paradoxe qui propose une violation de la seconde loi de la thermodynamique. Description L expérience du démon de Maxwell consiste …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Démon De Maxwell — Le démon de Maxwell est une expérience de pensée inventée par James Clerk Maxwell en 1871. C est un paradoxe qui propose une violation de la seconde loi de la thermodynamique. Description L expérience du démon de Maxwell consiste en une boî …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Démon de maxwell — Le démon de Maxwell est une expérience de pensée inventée par James Clerk Maxwell en 1871. C est un paradoxe qui propose une violation de la seconde loi de la thermodynamique. Description L expérience du démon de Maxwell consiste en une boî …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Maxwell, James Clerk — born June 13, 1831, Edinburgh, Scot. died Nov. 5, 1879, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Eng. Scottish physicist. He published his first scientific paper at age 14, entered the University of Edinburgh at 16, and graduated from Cambridge University. He… …   Universalium

  • Maxwell , James Clerk — (1831–1879) British physicist Maxwell was born in Edinburgh and studied at the university there (1847–50) and at Cambridge (1850–54), becoming a fellow in 1855. He was professor of natural philosophy at Marishal College, Aberdeen, from 1856 until …   Scientists

  • Maxwell'scher Dämon — Der maxwellsche Dämon oder Maxwell Dämon ist ein vom schottischen Physiker James Clerk Maxwell 1871 veröffentlichtes Gedankenexperiment, mit dem er den zweiten Hauptsatz der Thermodynamik hinterfragte. Das Dilemma, das aus diesem… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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