8.592J | Spring 2011 | Graduate

Statistical Physics in Biology

Lecture Notes

Polymer Theory 1, Entropy Elasticity, Collapse

  1. Polymers are long covalently bonded macromolecules, with N»1 monomers
    • Biological polymers: Polynucleotides, polypeptides, polysaccharides
    • Homopolymers, heteropolymers
    • Artificial polymers, e.g (-CHH-)N
  2. How straight is a polymer?
    • Thermal excitation of rotational isomores
    • Bending rigidity and Persistence length
  3. Entropic elasticity:
    • Random walks, Kuhn segments, and the central limit theorem
    • Polymer spring
  4. Interactions:

(Detailed Lecture Notes (PDF))

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Spring 2011
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