The empty world--a view from free volume concept and the Eyring's rate process theory

Abstract

Many-body problem is a common issue no matter which scale of entities we are dealing with. From electrons to atoms, small molecules like inorganic or organic of simple structures, large molecules like proteins or polymers, nanometer or micrometer-sized particles, granular matter, even universe galaxies, precise determination or estimation of geometrical locations and momentum energy of individual entities, and interaction forces between these millions of entities are impossible but unfortunately important for understanding collective physical properties like mechanical and electrical characteristics of the whole system. Despite foreseeable difficulties and complexities, attempts to estimate “inter-particle” forces have never been stopped using traditional Newtonian, quantum mechanical approaches, and the density function theory. In this review, a simple approach integrating the free volume and Eyring’s rate process theory is summarized and the application to a wide range of scales from electrons to the universe is presented in a unified manner. Comparisons between theoretical predictions and experimental results are focused.