Love will tear us apart

Classical Mechanics Level 4

It is found that confining circular chains in a very small enclosure (i.e. looped polymers in a small channel, bacterial chromosomes in a tiny cell, etc.) leads to a spatial separation of the chains into distinct regions of the enclosure. Even if the chains start out well mixed, they will unmix over time.

What can account for this phenomena?

Circular chains perform a snakelike motion, and friction tends to minimize contact between chains. The kinetic energy of each chain is maximized by being away from other chains. Each chain can access the greatest number of configurations when it does not overlap other chains. Being in close to other chains polarizes each chain, the chains repel electrically.

Josh Silverman by Josh Silverman

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1 solution

Rajath Naik
Apr 30, 2015

1 cannot be plausible maybe becoz polarizing off loops of chains even if like ends repelled,unlike ends would align and overlapping of loops would take place rather unmixing disorder. 2 maybe again from the same reason as followed from above. If its going to stabilize itself then usually systems of all kind tend to minimize their energy in all possible ways.. 4 I dont have any observed evidence of chains in a rumble.but if friction tends to minimize contact area then grouping of unlike ends would be unclear..

So I think 3 maybe the answer.b coz more the configurations less is the value of energy per loop..so more stable arrangement..

Plz do comment the correct reason and explanation.thanks

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