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Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 050601 (2002) [4 pages]

Experimental Demonstration of Violations of the Second Law of Thermodynamics for Small Systems and Short Time Scales

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G. M. Wang1, E. M. Sevick1, Emil Mittag1, Debra J. Searles2, and Denis J. Evans1
1Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200, Australia
2School of Science, Griffith University, Brisbane QLD 4111, Australia

Received 4 March 2002; published 15 July 2002

We experimentally demonstrate the fluctuation theorem, which predicts appreciable and measurable violations of the second law of thermodynamics for small systems over short time scales, by following the trajectory of a colloidal particle captured in an optical trap that is translated relative to surrounding water molecules. From each particle trajectory, we calculate the entropy production/consumption over the duration of the trajectory and determine the fraction of second law–defying trajectories. Our results show entropy consumption can occur over colloidal length and time scales.

© 2002 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.050601
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.050601
PACS:
05.70.Ln, 05.40.–a
 
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