Maxwell's Demon

DCS Code: 4F10.22 Last Updated: March 27, 2026
Log in to reserve this demo

Purpose

Two identical-looking flasks of colored balls are spun — one separates by color, the other doesn't. Demonstrates that apparent ordering requires an outside energy-dissipating mechanism, connecting to the Second Law and Maxwell's demon thought experiment.

Two large round-bottom glass flasks on clear cylindrical bases, each containing four white and four red foam balls. The balls sit mixed in the flask bodies and necks.
Figure 1: The two Maxwell's Demon flasks appear identical, each with four white and four red foam balls. In the "demon" flask (marked with a Pyrex logo on the neck), the red balls contain hidden ball bearings that dissipate kinetic energy, causing them to settle first when spun.