Shannonentropin

Shannonentropin is a fictional construct used in discussions at the intersection of information theory and thermodynamics. The term blends the name of Claude Shannon with the concept of entropy and is employed to illustrate how informational measures relate to physical entropy. It is not a real particle, molecule, or universally recognized physical quantity.

In thought experiments, a Shannonentropin is described as an abstract state variable that captures the flow of information-induced entropy between subsystems. One unit can be treated as a scale for comparing changes in Shannon entropy of information channels with the corresponding thermodynamic entropy production in the surroundings, in line with principles such as Landauer’s bound. The construct serves as a pedagogical bridge between information theory and non-equilibrium thermodynamics, rather than a measurable physical entity.

Usage and limitations: Shannonentropin appears mainly in didactic or speculative contexts to explore ideas like the minimum energy cost of computation, the thermodynamics of information processing, or entropy transfer in molecular systems. Because it lacks a standardized definition and empirical footing, its exact units and interpretation vary among authors. It should not be treated as a conventional physical quantity. Related real concepts include Shannon entropy, Boltzmann entropy, and the broader field of information thermodynamics.