Competition for Survival and the Maximum Entropy Production Principle in Self-Organized Silver Particle Chains

Abstract

The maximum entropy production (MEP) principle is a hypothetical law of physics which dictates that complex systems, far from equilibrium, evolve into an ordered dissipative structure (DS) which generates as much entropy per second as possible. An important problem is whether the natural competition for resources, limits the ability of DS to achieve the maximum of the entropy production rate (EPR). We investigate this competition between DS by performing high precision electrical measurements on suspensions of silver particles under electric fields. To establish the impact of competition on MEP principle, precise electrical measurements are performed on two Ag suspension samples connected in parallel. The samples are able to self-organize, dissipate energy, generate entropy, and compete with each other for resources, i.e., electrical current. Our findings are as follows: (1) There is a competition between the two samples, which prevents both systems from achieving their maximum possible contribution to the global entropy production rate. (2) Due to this competition, we find that only one out of two samples can self-organize, while the other deteriorates and approaches zero EPR. (3) The global EPR, i.e., the entropy produced by the samples and the energy supply circuit, is also reduced from its possible maximum due to the competition between the sub-systems. Based on these observations, we propose that the competition effect constitutes an essential constraint that must be incorporated into formulations of the MEP. This principle parallels real-world phenomena, reflecting the competition for resources observed among species and individual organisms in natural systems. We also examine the global implications of the MEP and propose that it serves as a driving mechanism propelling the hypothetical ascent of civilizations along the Kardashev scale.