Molecular Message Tapes Technical Considerations

At the macroscopic level, information is quantified via multivariable functions, line integrals, and probability distributions—the tools central to Chapters 3 through 5. The thermodynamic situations that admit analytical solutions are rare. Approximations are necessary with the assistance of computer programming and spreadsheets. 

At the molecular scale, matters are different in certain respects while similar in others. There are no multivariable functions or integrals to worry about. Yet pencil-and-paper calculations range from the impractical to impossible. Examining a molecule as a Brownian computer requires construction of a random walk over the finite 

The electronic site in contact with a hypothetical colliding element (not shown) has been indicated using boldface. Each step accesses a nearest-neighbor ABA of the formula diagram representing the molecule. In real Bunsen burners, the contacts are made by thermal collisions. Neither the motion (translational and rotational) nor interaction spedlics are contained in the model. As a consequence, all the ABA sites are treated in equal-likelihood terms, and their nature is unaltered during 

Chemical Thermodynamics and Information Theory with Applications 

Diagrams captnre the thermal walks pictorially. Qnantitative representations are obtained with the help of atom vectors and bond matrices. For an example, let each atomic symbol in the diagram for ethane be indexed as follows  

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