**2. Differential scanning calorimetry**

DSC measures the heat capacity (Cp) of a sample as the instrument "scans" up or down in temperature. For reversible systems, direct interpretation of the data in terms of thermodynamic parameters requires that chemical equilibrium be re-established much more rapidly than the scan rate. This can be verified by comparing data obtained at different scan rates. For transitions involving a change in molecularity (*e.g.*, self-association/dissociation, ligand binding/unbinding), reversibility can also be confirmed by the lack of hysteresis between heating and cooling experiments. The optimal scan rate is ultimately a compromise between the requirement for reversibility and the desire for reasonable throughput; typically this falls between 0.5 to 1.0 °C/min for most systems in dilute aqueous solutions.
