Information is not a thermodynamic resource

TL;DR

This paper challenges the traditional view of information as a thermodynamic resource by presenting models where information acquisition does not lead to work extraction and discussing the role of nonergodic systems in information processing.

Contribution

It introduces two new Szilard engine models demonstrating irrelevance of information for work extraction and emphasizes the importance of nonergodic systems in thermodynamics.

Findings

Information acquisition does not always enable work extraction.

Nonergodic systems serve as effective information carriers.

Differences in entropy definitions impact thermodynamic interpretations.

Abstract

The so-called information-thermodynamics link has been created in a series of works starting from Maxwell demon and established by the idea of transforming information into work in the though experiment of Szilard which then evolved into the vast field of research. The aim of this note is firstly to present two new models of the Szilard engine containing arbitrary number of molecules which show irrelevance of acquiring information for work extraction. Secondly, the difference between the definition of entropy for ergodic systems and systems with ergodicity breaking constraints is emphasized. The role of nonergodic systems as information carriers and the thermodynamic cost of stability and accuracy of information encoding and processing is briefly discussed.