Lecture 1

Question 1

What are the two kinds of physical behaviours at the molecular level?

Answer 1

Microphysical processes and Macrophysical processes.

Question 2

What does Microphysical properties mean?

Answer 2

This is based on the individual behaviours of single small particles like atoms, molecules and supramolecular structures. These processes are mostly stochastic.

Question 3

What does Macrophysics properties mean?

Answer 3

The kind of behaviour of large bodies. This is based on the laws of classical physics for example classical mechanics. The behaviour for macrophysical systems are generally deterministic.

Question 4

What is the difference between macrophysical and microphysical processes?

Answer 4

To explain the difference, let us consider a mechanical wheelwork. Due to its design and construction we can predict the behaviour of the system. This prediction is based on the laws of classical mechanics. In contrast to this, a chemical reaction with a small number of molecules in a homogeneous phase depends on stochastic collisions of the individual molecules with each other. Because this process is stochastic, the prediction can only be made in a statistical way.

Question 5

What does stochastic mean?

Answer 5

Random events having a certain probability of taking place, however, each separate event cannot be predicted in a determined way.

Question 6

What does supramolecular structures mean?

Answer 6

Assemblies of several molecules in a complex that carry out certain processes, No strong molecular bonds, just kept together by weak forces (Van Der Waals forces, hydrophobic forces and electrostatic forces)

Question 7

What does anisotropic and isotropic mea?

Answer 7

Anisotropic is the limitation of the degrees of freedom of a biochemical reaction is realised by a property of the system which is called anisotropic. In anisotropic systems, the mobility of molecules in various directions is not identical, some directions are restricted and some are promoted.

Question 8

What is an effective parameter?

Answer 8

Parameters used in the “microphysical world” and can be measured with arbitrary exactness. However, these parameters do not correspond to some visible boundaries.