Polymer Modeling: Basics & Applications

This lecture covers the fundamentals of polymer modeling, starting with the concept of flexible polymers and the freely-jointed chain model. It then delves into quantifying polymer size, self-avoiding polymers, and relating real polymers to phantom chains. Examples with PEG and bacterial DNA illustrate these concepts. The discussion extends to polymer diffusion, the size of fluctuating polymers, and different 'sizes' in classical polymer physics. The lecture concludes with insights on the behavior of polymers and proteins in cells, emphasizing the importance of entropy and multiple small interactions.