2015/11/30 by Ronald F. Fox, Fox, Ronald F.
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Physics and Astronomy · #00 #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #FOS: Biological sciences #G.3 #J.3 #Origins and Evolution of Life #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Subcellular Processes (q-bio.SC) #acm:00 #msc:00 #q-bio.SC
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1511.09444
21 pages
arxiv created 2015/11/30 · openalex publication_date 2015/11/30 · arxiv updated 2015/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
In this paper we review and extend our earlier recent work on thermostated systems. A description of nano-biological systems by Markov chains in coordinate space in the strongly overdamped limit is presented. Characterization of the most probable path is given and a new formula for the probability of this special path is provided from recursion formulae. The deterministic limit is derived and the significance of Lagrange multipliers introduced when constructing the most probable path is elucidated. The characterization of the generation of path entropy by the most probable path is given an equivalent interpretation relating to the rate of entropy production by the most probable path. The paper concludes with an account of the biological implications. Here we address why the origin of life and its subsequent evolution took place, not the particular chemical details of how it happened.