Andrew F. Rex

Harvey Leff

Over 130 years ago, James Clerk Maxwell introduced his hypothetical "demon" as a challenge to the scope of the second law of thermodynamics. Fascination with the demon persisted throughout the development of statistical and quantum physics, information theory, and computer science, and links have been established between Maxwell's demon and each of

Maxwell's Demon 2 Entropy, Classical and Quantum Information, Computing

Harvey S. Leff

About 120 years ago, James Clerk Maxwell introduced his now legendary hypothetical "demon" as a challenge to the integrity of the second law of thermodynamics. Fascination with the demon persisted throughout the development of statistical and quantum physics, information theory, and computer science--and linkages have been established between Maxwell's demon and each of these disciplines. The demon's seductive quality makes it appealing to physical scientists, engineers, computer scientists, biologists, psychologists, and historians and philosophers of science. Until now its important source material has been scattered throughout diverse journals. This book brings under one cover twenty-five reprints, including seminal works by Maxwell and William Thomson; historical reviews by Martin Klein, Edward Daub, and Peter Heimann; information theoretic contributions by Leo Szilard, Leon Brillouin, Dennis Gabor, and Jerome Rothstein; and innovations by Rolf Landauer and Charles Bennett illustrating linkages with the limits of computation. An introductory chapter summarizes the demon's life, from Maxwell's illustration of the second law's statistical nature to the most recent "exorcism" of the demon based on a need periodically to erase its memory. An annotated chronological bibliography is included. Originally published in 1990. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Entropy, Information, Computing

Maxwell's Demon

Richard Wolfson

Brief Description: The goal of Essential College Physics is to provide a book focused on essential principles--a shorter, more focused book that better addresses the learning needs of today's readers while more effectively guiding them through the mastery of physics. Brevity does not need to come at the expense of reader learning. This book is designed from the ground up to be concise and focused, resulting in a book less intimidating and easier to use, with well-coordinated explanations, art, worked examples, and end-of-chapter problems. It incorporates an overarching connected approach: connecting ideas within and across chapters; connecting physics with the real world; connecting words and math; and connecting with how today's readers learn and how they use their book. In addition to providing a strong foundation that teaches physics principles, the book also focuses on building readers' problem-solving skills. The friendly, integrated approach, combined with the low price, makes Essential College Physics an invaluable book choice. Key Topics: Measurements in Physics, Motion in One Dimension, Motion in Two Dimensions, Force and Newton's Laws of Motion, Work and Energy, Momentum and Collisions, Oscillations, Rotational Motion, Gravitation, Solids and Fluids, Waves and Sound, Temperature, Thermal Expansion, and Ideal Gases, Heat, The Laws of Thermodynamics, Electric Charges, Forces, and Fields, Electric Energy, Potential, and Capacitors, Electric Current, Resistance, and Circuits, Magnetic Fields and Forces, Electromagnetic Induction and AC Circuits, Electromagnetic Waves and Special Relativity, Geometrical Optics, Wave Optics, Early Modern Physics, Atomic Physics, Nuclear Physics, Elementary Particles Market: Intended for those interested in learning the basics of college physics

Andrew F. Rex

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