An ion channel protein can sit in a closed conformation or in a partially unfolded…
PHYSICS · Subjective · Fermi University Physics · Thermal, Statistical & Complex Systems · Biophysics & Medical Physics · Physical foundations of the living cell
Life at Thermal Energy, Ch Entropy, free energy and the forces that counting produces
Problem
An ion channel protein can sit in a closed conformation or in a partially unfolded conformation whose energy is 4kBT higher, at 298K. Treating the two conformations as the only two states available, calculate the ratio of the population in the higher-energy (unfolded) conformation to the population in the closed conformation.