1st Edition
Chemical Thermodynamics and Information Theory with Applications
Thermodynamics and information touch theory every facet of chemistry. However, the physical chemistry curriculum digested by students worldwide is still heavily skewed toward heat/work principles established more than a century ago. Rectifying this situation, Chemical Thermodynamics and Information Theory with Applications explores applications drawn from the intersection of thermodynamics and information theory—two mature and far-reaching fields.
In an approach that intertwines information science and chemistry, this book covers:
- The informational aspects of thermodynamic state equations
- The algorithmic aspects of transformations—compression, expansion, cyclic, and more
- The principles of best-practice programming
- How molecules transmit and modify information via collisions and chemical reactions
Using examples from physical and organic chemistry, this book demonstrates how the disciplines of thermodynamics and information theory are intertwined. Accessible to curiosity-driven chemists with knowledge of basic calculus, probability, and statistics, the book provides a fresh perspective on time-honored subjects such as state transformations, heat and work exchanges, and chemical reactions.
A Qualitative Look at Information
The Net of Information
Sources and Further Reading
A Quantitative Look at Information
Essential Ingredients
The Interface of Information with State Likelihood
The Role of Probability
Information and Expectation
Connecting Probability, Information, and Physical Properties
Probability Distribution Tools
Thermodynamic Infrastructure, States, and Fluctuations
Infrastructure
Equations of State
Systems and State Point Information
Thermodynamic Transformations and Information
Equilibrium States, Pathways, and Measurements
A Primer on Reversible Transformations
Reversible Transformations and Information
The Information Properties of Reversible Pathways
State Transformations and Information Economy
Different Thermodynamic Pathways with Identical Endpoints
Pathway Programming and Economy
Properties of Pathway Length and Information Economy
Thermodynamic Information and Molecules
Information at the Microscopic Scale
Molecular Message Tapes: Technical Considerations
Characteristics of Information at the Molecular Level
Thermodynamic Information and Chemical Reactions
Overview of Chemical Reactions
Chemical Reactions and Information
Reactions, Information, and Molecular Structure
Chemical Thermodynamics, Information, and Horizons
Horizons
Appendix A: Source Program for Constructing Molecular Message
Tapes and Computing Information
Appendix B: Answers to Selected Exercises
Index
Biography
Daniel J. Graham is with the Department of Chemistry at Loyola University in Chicago.
