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Using normal mode analysis in teaching mathematical modeling to biology students
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 October 2011
Abstract
Linear oscillators are used for modeling a diverse array of natural systems, for instance acoustics, materials science, and chemical spectroscopy. In this paper I describe simple models of structural interactions in biological molecules, known as elastic network models, as a useful topic for undergraduate biology instruction in mathematical modeling. These models use coupled linear oscillators to model the fluctuations of molecular structures around the equilibrium state. I present many learning activities associated with building and understanding these models, ranging from analytical to computational. I provide a number of web resources where students can obtain structural data, perform calculations, and suggest research directions for independent projects.
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- Mathematical Modelling of Natural Phenomena , Volume 6 , Issue 6: Biomathematics Education , 2011 , pp. 278 - 294
- Copyright
- © EDP Sciences, 2011
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