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Related Concept Videos

Entropy02:39

Entropy

Salt particles that have dissolved in water never spontaneously come back together in solution to reform solid particles. Moreover, a gas that has expanded in a vacuum remains dispersed and never spontaneously reassembles. The unidirectional nature of these phenomena is the result of a thermodynamic state function called entropy (S). Entropy is the measure of the extent to which the energy is dispersed throughout a system, or in other words, it is proportional to the degree of disorder of a...
Entropy01:18

Entropy

The first law of thermodynamics is quantitatively formulated via an equation relating the internal energy of a system, the heat exchanged by it, and the work done on it. A quantitative formulation of the second law of thermodynamics leads to defining a state function, the entropy.
When an ideal gas expands isothermally, the disorder in the gas increases. From the molecular perspective, the gas molecules have more volume to move around in.
Consider an infinitesimal step in the expansion, which...
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics01:26

Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

Consider an isolated system in which a hot object is placed in contact with a cold one. This is an irreversible process that eventually leads both objects to reach the same equilibrium temperature. It is crucial to note that the constituents of any substance exhibit increased disorder at higher temperatures. As a cold substance absorbs heat, its constituents become more disordered. The energy transfer from a hotter object to a cooler one increases the system's disorder or randomness. This...
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics01:20

Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

The second law of thermodynamics can be stated quantitatively using the concept of entropy. Entropy is the measure of disorder of the system.
The relation  between entropy and disorder can be illustrated with the example of the phase change of ice to water. In ice, the molecules are located at specific sites giving a solid state, whereas, in a liquid form, these molecules are much freer to move. The molecular arrangement has therefore become more randomized. Although the change in average...
Entropy and Solvation02:05

Entropy and Solvation

The process of surrounding a solute with solvent is called solvation. It involves evenly distributing the solute within the solvent. The rule of thumb for determining a solvent for a given compound is that like dissolves like. A good solvent has molecular characteristics similar to those of the compound to be dissolved. For example, polar solutions dissolve polar solutes, and apolar solvents dissolve apolar solutes. A polar solvent is a solvent that has a high dielectric constant (ϵ ≥ 15); an...
Joule-Thomson Effect01:21

Joule-Thomson Effect

The Joule-Thomson effect, also known as the Joule-Kelvin effect, describes the temperature change of a fluid when it is forced through a valve or porous plug while keeping it in a thermally insulated environment. This experiment is called a throttling process. This is an important effect widely used in refrigeration and the liquefaction of gases.
This experiment forces high-pressure gas through a throttle valve or a porous plug to a lower-pressure region. The gas expands as it passes through to...

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Spatial Separation of Molecular Conformers and Clusters
10:37

Spatial Separation of Molecular Conformers and Clusters

Published on: January 9, 2014

Thermal separation: interplay between the Soret effect and entropic force gradient.

Yusuke T Maeda1, Axel Buguin, Albert Libchaber

  • 1Center for Studies in Physics and Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021, USA.

Physical Review Letters
|August 16, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Thermophoresis, or the Soret effect, uses laser heating to create polymer solution gradients. This method geometrically localizes solutes like DNA and RNA into rings, enabling size-based separation and potential applications in early life research.

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Last Updated: May 30, 2026

Spatial Separation of Molecular Conformers and Clusters
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Published on: January 9, 2014

Spin Saturation Transfer Difference NMR (SSTD NMR): A New Tool to Obtain Kinetic Parameters of Chemical Exchange Processes
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Mapping the Binding Site of an Aptamer on ATP Using MicroScale Thermophoresis
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Mapping the Binding Site of an Aptamer on ATP Using MicroScale Thermophoresis

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Area of Science:

  • Physical Chemistry
  • Biophysics
  • Polymer Science

Background:

  • Thermophoresis, driven by the Soret effect, establishes concentration gradients in polymer solutions.
  • Solutes in these solutions experience thermophoretic forces and polymer concentration-dependent restoring forces.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the geometrical localization of solutes like DNA and RNA using focused laser heating.
  • To explore the potential for size-based separation of biomolecules and colloids.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing focused laser heating to induce thermophoresis in polyethylene glycol solutions.
  • Varying polyethylene glycol concentration to manipulate solute localization.
  • Analyzing the formation of ring patterns for different biomolecules and colloids.

Main Results:

  • Observed geometrical localization of DNA and RNA into ring patterns.
  • Demonstrated size-dependent ring formation for DNA, analogous to gel electrophoresis.
  • Achieved separation of DNA, RNA mixtures, and colloids based on size.

Conclusions:

  • Focused laser-induced thermophoresis provides a novel method for geometric solute localization and separation.
  • The observed phenomena are relevant for separating biomolecules, including potential RNA ribozymes from early life stages.