A new study from Nagoya University reveals that while quantum mechanics allows for potential violations of the second law of thermodynamics, carefully designed quantum systems can still adhere to it.
A team of researchers at Japan's Nagoya University has developed a mathematical model that sheds light on the complex relationship between quantum theory and thermodynamics. Their findings suggest that while quantum theory allows for potential violations of the second law of thermodynamics, carefully designed quantum systems can still adhere to it. This discovery provides further insight into the often-debated nature of entropy in the quantum world.
The second law of thermodynamics states that entropy, often described as disorder, tends to increase over time in a closed system. It also posits that an engine operating in a cycle cannot generate work solely from heat derived from a single source, as some heat must always be lost, reinforcing the unidirectional flow of time. However, a century-old thought experiment known as Maxwell's demon challenges this principle. In Maxwell's demon, an imaginary being controls a door separating a gas box into two compartments. This demon selectively allows fast-moving (hot) molecules to pass from left to right while blocking slow-moving (cold) molecules from doing the same. Over time, this creates a temperature difference in the box without any external energy input, seemingly violating the second law. This paradox has intrigued physicists for over a century, questioning the universality of the second law. The researchers at Nagoya University addressed this contradiction by developing a three-step mathematical model incorporating Maxwell's demon. Their model incorporates quantum measurements, work extraction from the system, and demon memory erasure via interaction with the environment. They employed von Neumann entropy to calculate the work extracted and expended by the demon. Their results indicate that under specific conditions allowed by quantum theory, the extracted work can exceed the expended work, suggesting a violation of the second law of thermodynamics. However, the model's equations suggest that even with this apparent violation, it's possible to design quantum processes that respect the second law. For example, when entropy begins to decrease during a process, additional components can be introduced into the quantum system to restore thermodynamic balance. This suggests a harmonious coexistence between quantum mechanics and thermodynamics, where they remain independent yet never fundamentally at odds
QUANTUM MECHANICS THERMODYNAMICS SECOND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS MAXWELL's DEMON ENTROPY
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