History
Before it became possible to simulate molecular dynamics with computers, some undertook the hard work of trying it with physical models such as macroscopic spheres. The idea was to arrange them to replicate the properties of a liquid. J.D. Bernal said, in 1962: "... I took a number of rubber balls and stuck them together with rods of a selection of different lengths ranging from 2.75 to 4 inches. I tried to do this in the first place as casually as possible, working in my own office, being interrupted every five minutes or so and not remembering what I had done before the interruption." Fortunately, now computers keep track of bonds during a simulation.
Following the earlier successes of Monte Carlo simulation with materials, the method was developed by Alder and Wainwright in the 50s and Rahman (independently) in the 60s .
Read more about this topic: Molecular Dynamics
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“Dont you realize that this is a new empire? Why, folks, theres never been anything like this since creation. Creation, huh, that took six days, this was done in one. History made in an hour. Why its a miracle out of the Old Testament!”
—Howard Estabrook (18841978)
“No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now.”
—Richard M. Nixon (b. 1913)
“Free from public debt, at peace with all the world, and with no complicated interests to consult in our intercourse with foreign powers, the present may be hailed as the epoch in our history the most favorable for the settlement of those principles in our domestic policy which shall be best calculated to give stability to our Republic and secure the blessings of freedom to our citizens.”
—Andrew Jackson (17671845)