= Tensile blob
{title2=$\xi_t\sim k_BT/f$}
A <tensile blob> is the scale below which thermal conformations of a stretched <polymer> are weakly disturbed by tension $f$. Balancing stretching <work> $f\xi_t$ with $k_BT$ gives $\xi_t\sim k_BT/f$. For free-chain size law $R\sim bg^\nu$, each blob contains $g_t\sim(\xi_t/b)^{1/\nu}$ <monomers>. A stretched string of blobs has extension $z\sim(n/g_t)\xi_t$ and stretching <free energy> of order $k_BTn/g_t$. This description requires blobs larger than individual statistical segments and smaller than the unperturbed coil.
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