Past exam of the biological physics course of the University of Oxford / 2022 / 5 / b / Solution

Each Cartesian component of one link has zero mean and variance $b^2/3$, with zero cross-component covariance. By the multivariate central limit theorem, for large $N$ on the coil scale the vector probability density isIt is normalized with respect to $d^{3}r$; the radial probability density is $4\pi r^{2}p(\mathbf{r})$. The Gaussian limit of the end-to-end distribution of a freely jointed chain is an approximation, not the exact finite-$N$ law near $r=Nb$.

At prescribed vector separation the configurational entropy is $S(\mathbf{r})=k_B\ln p(\mathbf{r})+\text{constant}$. The ideal chain has no extension-dependent internal energy, so its Helmholtz free energy isThe externally required force is ${\nabla }_{\mathbf{r}}A$, while the chain's restoring force has the opposite sign. ThusThe last equation also follows by multiplying $p(\mathbf{r})$ by the Boltzmann factor $e^{fz/(k_{B}T)}$ and completing the square. This entropic spring resists extension because fewer link configurations realize a stretched chain. At the same small applied force, increasing temperature reduces extension; at the same extension it increases the required force. Do not differentiate $-k_{B}T\ln [4\pi r^{2}p(\mathbf{r})]$ to obtain the fixed-vector Hooke law, since that radial measure includes an additional geometric multiplicity. The low-force condition is $fb/(k_{B}T)\ll 1$, equivalently $⟨z⟩\ll Nb$.