Brownian motor
Encyclopedia
Brownian motors are nano-scale or molecular devices by which thermally activated processes (chemical reactions) are controlled and used to generate directed motion in space and to do mechanical or electrical work. These tiny engines operate in an environment where viscosity
dominates inertia
, and where thermal noise makes moving in a specific direction as difficult as walking in a hurricane: the forces impelling these motors in the desired direction are minuscule in comparison with the random forces exerted by the environment. Because this type of motor is so strongly dependent on random thermal noise, Brownian motors are feasible only at the nanometer scale.
The term "Brownian motor" was originally coined by Peter Hänggi in 1995: A distinct feature of a Brownian motor is—in contrast to a molecular motor—that the output response is typically coupled only loosely to the input perturbation and action of fluctuations; see in .
In biology, many protein-based molecular motors
in the cell may in fact be Brownian motors. These molecular motors convert the chemical energy present in ATP
into mechanical energy. One example of a Brownian motor would be an ATPase motor that hydrolyzes ATP to generate fluctuating anisotropic energetic potentials. The anisotropic potentials along the path would bias the motion of a particle (like an ion or polypeptide); the result would essentially be diffusion of a particle whose net motion is strongly biased in one direction. The translocation of the particle would only be loosely coupled
to hydrolysis of ATP.
The dynamics and activity of Brownian motors are current topics of study in theoretical and experimental biophysics
. Brownian motors are sometimes modeled using the Fokker-Planck equation
or with Monte Carlo method
s. Many researchers are presently engaged in understanding how molecular-scale motors operate in environments with non-negligible thermal noise. The thermodynamics of such motors is constrained by the ramifications of the Fluctuation Theorem
s, Pumping Quantization Theorems, and Pumping-Restriction Theorems.
Viscosity
Viscosity is a measure of the resistance of a fluid which is being deformed by either shear or tensile stress. In everyday terms , viscosity is "thickness" or "internal friction". Thus, water is "thin", having a lower viscosity, while honey is "thick", having a higher viscosity...
dominates inertia
Inertia
Inertia is the resistance of any physical object to a change in its state of motion or rest, or the tendency of an object to resist any change in its motion. It is proportional to an object's mass. The principle of inertia is one of the fundamental principles of classical physics which are used to...
, and where thermal noise makes moving in a specific direction as difficult as walking in a hurricane: the forces impelling these motors in the desired direction are minuscule in comparison with the random forces exerted by the environment. Because this type of motor is so strongly dependent on random thermal noise, Brownian motors are feasible only at the nanometer scale.
The term "Brownian motor" was originally coined by Peter Hänggi in 1995: A distinct feature of a Brownian motor is—in contrast to a molecular motor—that the output response is typically coupled only loosely to the input perturbation and action of fluctuations; see in .
In biology, many protein-based molecular motors
Molecular motors
Molecular motors are biological molecular machines that are the essential agents of movement in living organisms. Generally speaking, a motor may be defined as a device that consumes energy in one form and converts it into motion or mechanical work; for example, many protein-based molecular motors...
in the cell may in fact be Brownian motors. These molecular motors convert the chemical energy present in ATP
Adenosine triphosphate
Adenosine-5'-triphosphate is a multifunctional nucleoside triphosphate used in cells as a coenzyme. It is often called the "molecular unit of currency" of intracellular energy transfer. ATP transports chemical energy within cells for metabolism...
into mechanical energy. One example of a Brownian motor would be an ATPase motor that hydrolyzes ATP to generate fluctuating anisotropic energetic potentials. The anisotropic potentials along the path would bias the motion of a particle (like an ion or polypeptide); the result would essentially be diffusion of a particle whose net motion is strongly biased in one direction. The translocation of the particle would only be loosely coupled
Loose coupling
In computing and systems design a loosely coupled system is one where each of its components has, or makes use of, little or no knowledge of the definitions of other separate components. The notion was introduced into organizational studies by Karl Weick...
to hydrolysis of ATP.
The dynamics and activity of Brownian motors are current topics of study in theoretical and experimental biophysics
Biophysics
Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physical science to study biological systems. Studies included under the branches of biophysics span all levels of biological organization, from the molecular scale to whole organisms and ecosystems...
. Brownian motors are sometimes modeled using the Fokker-Planck equation
Fokker-Planck equation
The Fokker–Planck equation describes the time evolution of the probability density function of the velocity of a particle, and can be generalized to other observables as well.It is named after Adriaan Fokkerand Max Planck...
or with Monte Carlo method
Monte Carlo method
Monte Carlo methods are a class of computational algorithms that rely on repeated random sampling to compute their results. Monte Carlo methods are often used in computer simulations of physical and mathematical systems...
s. Many researchers are presently engaged in understanding how molecular-scale motors operate in environments with non-negligible thermal noise. The thermodynamics of such motors is constrained by the ramifications of the Fluctuation Theorem
Fluctuation theorem
The fluctuation theorem , which originated from statistical mechanics, deals with the relative probability that the entropy of a system which is currently away from thermodynamic equilibrium will increase or decrease over a given amount of time...
s, Pumping Quantization Theorems, and Pumping-Restriction Theorems.
See also
- Brownian ratchetBrownian ratchetIn the philosophy of thermal and statistical physics, the Brownian ratchet, or Feynman-Smoluchowski ratchet is a thought experiment about an apparent perpetual motion machine first analysed in 1912 by Polish physicist Marian Smoluchowski and popularised by American Nobel laureate physicist Richard...
- Brownian motionBrownian motionBrownian motion or pedesis is the presumably random drifting of particles suspended in a fluid or the mathematical model used to describe such random movements, which is often called a particle theory.The mathematical model of Brownian motion has several real-world applications...
- Protein dynamics
- Robert Brown (botanist)Robert Brown (botanist)Robert Brown was a Scottish botanist and palaeobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope...
External links
- Lukasz Machura: Performance of Brownian Motors. University of Augsburg, 2006 (PDF)
- Brownian motor on arxiv.org