Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Behavior of Gas Molecules: Molecular Diffusion, Mean Free Path, and Effusion03:48

Behavior of Gas Molecules: Molecular Diffusion, Mean Free Path, and Effusion

31.1K
Although gaseous molecules travel at tremendous speeds (hundreds of meters per second), they collide with other gaseous molecules and travel in many different directions before reaching the desired target. At room temperature, a gaseous molecule will experience billions of collisions per second. The mean free path is the average distance a molecule travels between collisions. The mean free path increases with decreasing pressure; in general, the mean free path for a gaseous molecule will be...
31.1K
Kinetic Molecular Theory and Gas Laws Explain Properties of Gas Molecules02:34

Kinetic Molecular Theory and Gas Laws Explain Properties of Gas Molecules

37.1K
The test of the kinetic molecular theory (KMT) and its postulates is its ability to explain and describe the behavior of a gas. The various gas laws (Boyle’s, Charles’s, Gay-Lussac’s, Avogadro’s, and Dalton’s laws) can be derived from the assumptions of the KMT, which have led chemists to believe that the assumptions of the theory accurately represent the properties of gas molecules.
37.1K
Physical Principles Governing Gas Exchange01:16

Physical Principles Governing Gas Exchange

3.2K
Gas behavior plays a vital role in understanding bodily processes such as external and internal respiration. External respiration involves the diffusion of oxygen into the blood and carbon dioxide out of it in the lungs. In contrast, internal respiration happens in body tissues, where these gases move in opposite directions.
Gas Laws Governing Respiration
The behavior of gases is guided by Dalton's Law of partial pressures and Henry's Law.
Dalton's Law asserts that the total...
3.2K
Basic Postulates of Kinetic Molecular Theory: Particle Size, Energy, and Collision02:43

Basic Postulates of Kinetic Molecular Theory: Particle Size, Energy, and Collision

37.3K
The ideal-gas equation, which is empirical, describes the behavior of gases by establishing relationships between their macroscopic properties. For example, Charles’ law states that volume and temperature are directly related. Gases, therefore, expand when heated at constant pressure. Although gas laws explain how the macroscopic properties change relative to one another, it does not explain the rationale behind it.
37.3K
Distribution of Molecular Speeds01:27

Distribution of Molecular Speeds

5.3K
The motion of molecules in a gas is random in magnitude and direction for individual molecules, but a gas of many molecules has a predictable distribution of molecular speeds. This predictable distribution of molecular speeds is known as the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. The distribution of molecular speeds in liquids is comparable to that of gases but not identical and can help to understand the phenomenon of the boiling and vapor pressure of a liquid. Consider that a molecule requires a...
5.3K
Steps in Outbreak Investigation01:18

Steps in Outbreak Investigation

470
In the ever-evolving field of public health, statistical analysis serves as a cornerstone for understanding and managing disease outbreaks. By leveraging various statistical tools, health professionals can predict potential outbreaks, analyze ongoing situations, and devise effective responses to mitigate impact. For that to happen, there are a few possible stages of the analysis:
470

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same journal

From Sputnik to Starship: Estimating the experience curve of space launch technology.

PNAS nexus·2026
Same journal

Mineral biosignature identification from Raman spectroscopy using machine learning.

PNAS nexus·2026
Same journal

Personalized feedback about immunity corrects risk misestimation and motivates vaccination.

PNAS nexus·2026
Same journal

Riverine woodlands as a dynamic source of the marine sedimentary carbon sink.

PNAS nexus·2026
Same journal

Investigation and computational prediction of gating pore currents in Na<sub>V</sub>1.2 mutations across clinical phenotypes.

PNAS nexus·2026
Same journal

Sequence-encoded conformational biases correlate with self-assembly modes of intrinsically disordered proteins.

PNAS nexus·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 9, 2026

Multi-target Parallel Processing Approach for Gene-to-structure Determination of the Influenza Polymerase PB2 Subunit
22:10

Multi-target Parallel Processing Approach for Gene-to-structure Determination of the Influenza Polymerase PB2 Subunit

Published on: June 28, 2013

13.6K

Understanding pandemics through molecular gas dynamics.

Yao-Yu Guan1, Zhi-Hui Wang1,2

  • 1School of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China.

PNAS Nexus
|December 4, 2025
PubMed
Summary

This study models respiratory infectious disease spread like nonequilibrium gas dynamics, treating individuals as molecules. This approach aids in predicting pandemic evolution and understanding disease mitigation strategies.

Keywords:
DSMCcomplex systemmolecular gas dynamicsnonequilibriumpandemic

More Related Videos

Generating Controlled, Dynamic Chemical Landscapes to Study Microbial Behavior
10:07

Generating Controlled, Dynamic Chemical Landscapes to Study Microbial Behavior

Published on: January 31, 2020

6.6K
Analyzing Melts and Fluids from Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Simulations with the UMD Package
06:37

Analyzing Melts and Fluids from Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Simulations with the UMD Package

Published on: September 17, 2021

5.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 9, 2026

Multi-target Parallel Processing Approach for Gene-to-structure Determination of the Influenza Polymerase PB2 Subunit
22:10

Multi-target Parallel Processing Approach for Gene-to-structure Determination of the Influenza Polymerase PB2 Subunit

Published on: June 28, 2013

13.6K
Generating Controlled, Dynamic Chemical Landscapes to Study Microbial Behavior
10:07

Generating Controlled, Dynamic Chemical Landscapes to Study Microbial Behavior

Published on: January 31, 2020

6.6K
Analyzing Melts and Fluids from Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Simulations with the UMD Package
06:37

Analyzing Melts and Fluids from Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Simulations with the UMD Package

Published on: September 17, 2021

5.0K

Area of Science:

  • Complex Systems Science
  • Epidemiology
  • Statistical Mechanics

Background:

  • Predicting large-scale pandemic evolution from individual behavior models is challenging.
  • Human society and respiratory infectious diseases are complex systems with interconnected dynamics.
  • Existing models struggle to fully capture the interplay of behavior, social interactions, and policy in disease spread.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a novel framework for understanding and predicting pandemic evolution.
  • To apply concepts from molecular gas dynamics to model infectious disease spread.
  • To explore the impact of individual behavior on disease mitigation.

Main Methods:

  • Analogizing infectious disease spread to nonequilibrium chemical reactions in molecular gases.
  • Modeling individuals as molecules with distinct infection stages, velocities, and collision cross-sections.
  • Utilizing the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo method to derive epidemiological metrics.

Main Results:

  • A nonequilibrium compartmental model with a time-varying transmission rate was introduced.
  • Key epidemiological metrics such as secondary infection number, generation interval, and reproduction number were derived.
  • Reduced patient mobility was shown to mitigate disease spread.

Conclusions:

  • The analogy between molecular gas dynamics and infectious disease spread offers a new perspective for complex systems analysis.
  • This approach provides a powerful tool for understanding and predicting pandemic dynamics.
  • Insights gained can inform public health policies and interventions for future infectious disease outbreaks.