Past exam of the biological physics course of the University of Oxford / 2016 / 3 / a / Solution

Use signed ion valence $z$ and define $V={\psi }_1-{\psi }_2$. The molar electrochemical potential in side $i$ of an ideal dilute solution isTransfer of an infinitesimal amount $dn$ from side 1 to side 2 changes the total Gibbs free energy by $({\tilde{\mu }}_2-{\tilde{\mu }}_1)dn$. At equilibrium this derivative is zero, soFor a cell with side 1 inside, this is $E_i=(RT/z_{i}F)\ln (c_{i,\mathrm{out}}/c_{i,\mathrm{in}})$. The concentrations are equilibrium free-ion concentrations, not automatically their exact initial values. For nonideal solutions the ratio must be a ratio of thermodynamic activities. The temperature and solvent must be common to both reservoirs, and an ion must actually be able to exchange for this equilibrium condition to be dynamically established.

Equal compartment volumes are unnecessary for deriving the voltage law, but help specify number conservation if concentration changes are appreciable. For equal volume $\mathcal{V}$ and a monovalent cation transfer $n$ from side 1 to 2, $c_1=c_1^0-n/\mathcal{V}$, $c_2=c_2^0+n/\mathcal{V}$. Combined with the membrane capacitance, this gives an implicit finite-reservoir equilibrium rather than treating both concentrations as externally clamped.