Thermodynamics and evolutionary genetics
type: Item
instance of: scholarly article
title: Thermodynamics and evolutionary genetics
zbMATH Open document ID: 1202.82067
author: Ingo Müller
published in: Continuum Mechanics and Thermodynamics
publication date: 2010-08-23T00:00:00Z
review text: The purpose of this article is to show that there is the possibility to draw analogy between thermodynamics and genetics, and to make that analogy explicit by using the methods of the mathematical model. By the rules of statistical thermodynamics and of evolutionary genetics certain commons models are deduced. Moreover, the model of population in the case both haploid cells and diploid cells is considered. The author conclude that the randomness of mutation of cells may be likened to the random thermal fluctuations in a gas. And the probabilistic nature of entropy in statistical thermodynamics can be carried over to a population of haploid and diploid cells without any conceptual change. Also, the author remarks, that it may be that the real distinction between the mathematical theories of thermodynamics and genetics is one of practicality and applicability: thermodynamics gives all kinds of practical and valuable results about engines driven by air and water, which are the most important agents of classical technology. Genetics, on the other hand, cannot be applied, perhaps, except to oversimplified models, and certainly not to practical problems. This, however, only means that more study is to be done in genetics to get away from the simple models amenable to explicit analysis. Just like more study is needed in thermodynamics for the rectification of oil and natural gas than for the separation of ideal gases.
reviewed by: Dazmir Shulaia
Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 82C40
Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 92D10
zbMATH DE Number: 5774284
zbMATH Keywords: thermodynamics
zbMATH Keywords: statistical thermodynamics
zbMATH Keywords: evolutionary genetics
MaRDI profile type: Publication
full work available at URL: s00161-009-0131-3
OpenAlex ID: W2044764450
cites work: Q4651259
cites work: Q5791412
DOI: 10.1007/S00161-009-0131-3
description: scientific article; zbMATH DE number 5774284