Talk:Random coil

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Molecular and Cellular Biology WikiProject This article is within the scope of the Molecular and Cellular Biology WikiProject. To participate, visit the WikiProject for more information. The WikiProject's current monthly collaboration is focused on improving Restriction enzyme.
Start This article has been rated as Start-Class on the assessment scale.
Mid This article is on a subject of Mid-importance within molecular and cellular biology.

Article Grading: The article has been rated for quality and/or importance but has no comments yet. If appropriate, please review the article and then leave comments here to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the article and what work it will need.

"Note that although this model is termed a "Gaussian chain", the distribution function is not a gaussian (normal) distribution. The end-to-end distance probability distribution function of a Gaussian chain is non-zero only for r > 0. [1]"

As article stands now, the above sentence obscures the reason why this model is termed a Gaussian chain. This model is called 'Gaussian' because the probability distribution function to any vector point does have a Gaussian form. i.e.  P(\vec{r}) \propto exp(-\vec{r} \cdot \vec{r}/2\sigma^2)

However, the end-to-end distance distribution will depend on the dimensionality of the polymer chain. I think this point needs to be added so as to clarify why this is called a Gaussian Model- rather than misleadingly pointing out how the name might not be apt. Any thoughtsWilgamesh 08:17, 12 December 2006 (UTC)