Chapter 3 Lecture

Biological Physics
Nelson
Updated 1st Edition

Random Walks, Friction &

Diffusion (part I)

Slide 1-1

Summary Chapter 1
The First Law of thermodynamics:
Etherm= Q - Wext
can be rephrased for different cases as:

Just depends on the conditions you need

Well include the chemical potential later
Slide 1-2

Enthalpy to Helmholtz to Gibbs

= + V
= = +
= + V = + +V
Slide 1-3

Summary Chapter 3
Dont forget: Probability determines the motions and hence
pressure etc. of gases
Gaussians are ubiquitous in math/science
Maxwell Distribution
The more general Boltzmann Distribution
Activation Barriers
Friction as slowing down due to molecular
collisions
The carrier of genetic information (in class
discussion after homework problems)
Slide 1-4

Chapter 3 Homework
1. Make 2D/3D Gaussians with plots for different
using Wolfram or similar software.
2. Derive Your Turn 3F
3. Do Problem 3.1 (The Dodgy Bakery)
4. Suppose you role 3 fair dice. What is the
probability that you will get a 5 on at least one
dice? (Try your turn 3C first)
Slide 1-5

Random Walks?

1961. Used by permission of Dover Publications.

Slide 1-6

Outline

Brownian motion
Random walks
Diffusion
Friction

Three important equations, leading to the

Fluctuation-Dissipation relation

Slide 1-7

Brownian Motion
Provides a proof of the existence of atoms
/molecules
without ever observing them
Discovered by Robert Brown, in 1828
(A botanist)
Motion of pollen grains in water
Very random and nonstop
More vigorous at high temperature

Slide 1-8

Cause and a question?

Cause:
Collision between pollen and water molecules?
Questions arise:
Molecules are tiny, so how can a collision give a
visible movement of pollen?
The collision rate is 1012/sec, so how can we
resolve it with the naked eye (~30s-1)?

Slide 1-9

Einsteins answer
These two questions cancel out if we use a
Random Walk
By considering the nature of the collision, it lead
Einstein to one of his papers in 1905
The tool is statistical mechanics

Slide 1-10

Random Walks
Total displacement has structure on all length
scales in a random walk
Every single step is random, but we can still
effectively predict the motion of a collection of
many molecules

More is different!
P.W. Anderson
Slide 1-11

2D Random Walk Simulations

Slide 1-12

Random Walks
Net displacement rather than return to starting
point
Probability problem
Idea:
Flip a coin and move left or right
Probability to return to the origin, the average
displacement and the average of mean
square displacement
Try Your Turn 4a
Slide 1-13

Binomial Distributions: Your Turn 4a

Slide 1-14

Example: Three step random walk

Slide 1-15

Exercise
Exercise:
Make a diagram for 1D case of two steps?

Homework:Make a diagram for 1D case of four steps

Slide 1-16

Random Walk
1D case, for N steps
How to find an equation for the displacement?
Assumption:
1. Each step has length L
2. The direction decided by kj with value 1
3. The initial position x0 = 0
4. Collision occurs once per t, e.g., once per
second

Slide 1-17

Mean and Variance

Three step case (see Fig 4.4): In general case (Homework for 4 step case) is

where last term is just L2 cf.

middle term is actually zero (see book) and
or
where D the diffusion parameter is D=L2/2t
and we have used N=t/t. In 3D we have

Slide 1-18

Diffusion Law?

Although the derivation is simplified, the law itself is

universal. (Book Page 120)
We can find D by experiment. The law is
experimentally testable!
Knowing D is not enough for finding the microscopic
value L and t, and find the size of a molecule
The Random Walk is model independent, see
Section 4.1.3.
Slide 1-19

Friction
A free falling object will finally reach terminal
speed
Consider friction as a random collision of objects
with molecules
Note we usually uses Stokes formula to relate
the friction coeficient to the viscous drag
coefficient :

Slide 1-20

Friction
1D case, find the equation of terminal speed.
Assumption:
1. Collisions occur once per t for some force f
2. After collision, the initial speed of the object is
randomly determined from Newtons law to be
Then we have

where v=x/t
Slide 1-21

Diffusion and Friction

Two phases of thermal motion: D and
Einstein relation shows the relationship between
the two

2 =
where we have used that fact that vox

Note: Connecting two seemingly irrelevant topics

may lead to a great insight in Nature
Slide 1-22

1D Random Walks

Slide 1-23

Homework
1. Read 4.1.3:- Understand statement: Random
Walk is model independent!
2. Read 4.2:- What Einstein didnt do
3. Make a diagram for 1D case of four steps
4. Extra:- Are two elevator shafts better when
stopping at odd and even floors only?
Assume the cost of the elevator is only to
start and stop ~ 50 Yen per ride

Slide 1-24

Next Time
Sections 4.3 4.6
The arrow of time from diffusion and friction?

Slide 1-25