molecular machine


molecular machine

[mə¦lek·yə·lər mə′shēn] (chemistry) A molecular device in which the component parts can display changes (reversible movement) in their relative positions as a result of some external stimulus (such as light, electrical energy, or chemical energy), resulting in a signal (a change in a chemical or physical property of the supramolecular system) that can be used to monitor the operation of the device.