Lennard-Jones potential systems

Two simulation methods—Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics—allow calculation of the density profile and pressure difference of Eq. III-44 across the vapor-liquid interface [64, 65]. In the former method, the initial system consists of N molecules in assumed positions. An intermolecule potential function is chosen, such as the Lennard-Jones potential, and the positions are randomly varied until the energy of the system is at a minimum. The resulting configuration is taken to be the equilibrium one. In the molecular dynamics approach, the N molecules are given initial positions and velocities and the equations of motion are solved to follow the ensuing collisions until the set shows constant time-average thermodynamic properties. Both methods are computer intensive yet widely used. 

The shift makes the potential deviate from the true potential, and so any calculated thermodynamic properties will be changed. The true values can be retrieved but it is difficult to do so, and the shifted potential is thus rarely used in real simulations. Moreover, while it is relatively straightforward to implement for a homogeneous system under the influence of a simple potential such as the Lennard-jones potential, it is not easy for inhomogeneous systems containing rnany different types of atom. 

The classical kinetic theoty of gases treats a system of non-interacting particles, but in real gases there is a short-range interaction which has an effect on the physical properties of gases. The most simple description of this interaction uses the Lennard-Jones potential which postulates a central force between molecules, giving an energy of interaction as a function of the inter-nuclear distance, r. 

The Morse function which is given above was obtained from a study of bonding in gaseous systems, and dris part of Swalin s derivation should probably be replaced with a Lennard-Jones potential as a better approximation. The general idea of a variable diffusion step in liquids which is more nearly akin to diffusion in gases than the earlier treatment, which was based on the notion of vacant sites as in solids, remains as a valuable suggestion. 

Figure 5. Velocity and temperature profiles for the cut-off Lennard-Jones potential. The system consists of 1152 atoms enclosed in a box of side length equal to 32 6 6.

The interatomic force between two atoms a distance R apart can be described in terms of the potential energy of the system P R), one widely applicable form of which is the Lennard -Jones potential ... 

Surface Potentials. Consider the form of the surface-water Interaction potential for an interfacial system with a hydrophobic surface. The oxygen atom of any water molecule is acted upon by an explicitly uncharged surface directly below it via the Lennard-Jones potential (U j) ... 

The Lennard-Jones potential continues to be used in many force fields, particularly those targeted for use in large systems, e.g., biomolecular force fields. In more general force fields targeted at molecules of small to medium size, slightly more complicated functional forms, arguably having more physical justification, tend to be used (computational times for small molecules are so short dial the efficiency of the Lennard-Jones potential is of little consequence). Such forms include the Morse potential [Eq. (2.5)] and the Hill potential... 

The form of the potential for the system under study was discussed in many publications [28,202,207,208]. Effective pair potentials are widely used in theoretical estimates and numerical calculations. When a many-particle interatomic potential is taken into account, the quantitative description of experimental data improves. For example, the consideration of three-body interactions along with two-particle interactions made it possible to quantitatively describe the stratification curve for interstitial hydrogen in palladium [209]. Let us describe the pair interaction of all the components (hydrogen and metal atoms in the a. and (j phases) by the Lennard Jones potential cpy(ry) = 4 zi [(ff )12- / )6], where Sy and ai are the parameters of the corresponding potentials. All the distances ry, are considered within c.s. of radius r (1 < r < R), where R is the largest radius of the radii of interaction Ry between atoms / and /). 

The last term in the formula (1-196) describes electrostatic and Van der Waals interactions between atoms. In the Amber force field the Van der Waals interactions are approximated by the Lennard-Jones potential with appropriate Atj and force field parameters parametrized for monoatomic systems, i.e. i = j. Mixing rules are applied to obtain parameters for pairs of different atom types. Cornell et al.300 determined the parameters of various Lenard-Jones potentials by extensive Monte Carlo simulations for a number of simple liquids containing all necessary atom types in order to reproduce densities and enthalpies of vaporization of these liquids. Finally, the energy of electrostatic interactions between non-bonded atoms is calculated using a simple classical Coulomb potential with the partial atomic charges qt and q, obtained, e.g. by fitting them to reproduce the electrostatic potential around the molecule. 

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