On the interpretation of random fluctuations in competing chemical systems

Abstract

Several stochastic models have been proposed to describe the kinetic theory of reversible chemical reactions. However, in macroscopic systems the effects of stochastic variability are often outweighed by mean effects. In the present paper we show that some observed phenomena can be explained quite adequately by a stochastic model in which the stochastic variability is not negligible in comparison with mean effects. Our argument involves approximations to a stochastic model for competing chemical reactions.