Random Walk

John N. Mundy

doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/DDF.353.1

Paper Titles

Preface and Committees

Random Walk
p.1

Analysis of Laser Weldments for Dual-Phase and Martensitic Steel Sheets for Automotive Applications
p.8

Infrared Monitoring of Inner Defects in Glass Laminates
p.13

Experimental Study of Micro-Cracks in Laboratory and In Situ Using Infrared Thermography
p.17

Sensibility Analysis of the Parameters Affecting Infrared Thermal Images for the Evaluation of Building Pathologies
p.23

Comparison of Performance and Emission Parameters in Two Developmental Stages of Boilers
p.28

Studies on the Treatment of Wastewaters Containing Cr⁶⁺ with Iron Oxide-Silica Composite Materials Prepared by Different Methods
p.33

Application of Calcium Carbonate in Resin Transfer Molding Process
p.39

HomeDefect and Diffusion ForumDefect and Diffusion Forum Vol. 353Random Walk

Random Walk

Abstract:

Random walk is the central concept in the mathematical formalization of the diffusion coefficient and so when asked a year ago to present a talk at a diffusion conference it appeared to be a totally appropriate topic. I spent most of my career studying diffusion and even after twenty years in retirement I believed I could write an interesting story about the importance of random walk to diffusion. Unfortunately when I sat down to write I discovered two problems: in the majority of materials that I investigated atoms did follow a random walk; and the history of random walk has been well documented and shows little connection to diffusion. The phrase was coined in 1905 at a time of rapid changes in physics. Scientists are not accustomed to writing history and as Henry Ford said around the same period of time “History is bunk”. He also remarked, "You can have any color (car) as long as it's black". This essay presents my story (not his- or her- tory) of why the use of the phrase random walk in discussions of diffusion in solids is also bunk.