LJ parames

Hello guys
I’m all new here so I have a little stupid question for sigma and epsilon for LJ pair coefficients. In some papers, I find that they only give the whole epsilon and sigma between the molecules. However, when I write pair coeff command in lammps, it should be the epsilon and sigma between two atom types. For example, for water, it should be like,
TIP3P-E water
pair_style lj/cut/coul/long 13.0
bond_style harmonic
angle_style harmonic
kspace_style pppm 1.0e-5
pair_coeff 1 1 0.0 0.0 #H-H
pair_coeff 2 2 0.102 3.188 #O-O
pair_coeff 1 2 0.0 0.0 #O-H
bond_coeff 1 450 0.9572 #H-O
angle_coeff 1 55 104.52 #H-O-H
But the parameters for CH4 is written like epsilon=0.2937, sigma=3.73. I think it supposed to be three sets of epsilon and sigma for C-C, H-H and C-H.
So how should I write lammps pair coeff commands correctly for CH4 with only one set of epsilon and sigma?
Thanks a lot. I’m trying my best to learn everything I can.

Hello guys
    I'm all new here so I have a little stupid question for sigma and
epsilon for LJ pair coefficients. In some papers, I find that they only
give the whole epsilon and sigma between the molecules. However, when I
write pair coeff command in lammps, it should be the epsilon and sigma
between two atom types. For example, for water, it should be like,
TIP3P-E water
pair_style lj/cut/coul/long 13.0
bond_style harmonic
angle_style harmonic
kspace_style pppm 1.0e-5
pair_coeff 1 1 0.0 0.0 #H-H
pair_coeff 2 2 0.102 3.188 #O-O
pair_coeff 1 2 0.0 0.0 #O-H
bond_coeff 1 450 0.9572 #H-O
angle_coeff 1 55 104.52 #H-O-H
    But the parameters for CH4 is written like epsilon=0.2937, sigma=3.73.
I think it supposed to be three sets of epsilon and sigma for C-C, H-H and
C-H.
    So how should I write lammps pair coeff commands correctly for CH4
with only one set of epsilon and sigma?

​in many molecular force field calculations, only epsilon and sigma are
given for a specific atom type and not for all pairs of atom types.
the "mixed" parameters are usually inferred following a set of "mixing
rules". LAMMPS does support this.​
http://lammps.sandia.gov/doc/pair_modify.html
you have to look up which mixing rules apply to the force field that you
are using. typically, the geometric or arithmetic average is taken or a
combination of them.

you can check what coefficients LAMMPS has generated for your system from
applying the mixing rules by writing the full set of pair coefficients to a
file with the write_coeff command:
http://lammps.sandia.gov/doc/write_coeff.html

as a beginner doing these steps and particularly on a rather simple systems
as you are looking at, it is good practice to do this exercise and make
certain that you have understood what LAMMPS will do automatically for you.

​axel.​