Biophysics DeMYSTiFieD®

Learn BIOPHYSICS without expending a lot of ENERGY! Interested in unraveling the physics of living things? Here's your starting point. Biophysics Demystified is the fast and easy way to understand this fascinating topic. Written in a step-by-step format, this practical guide begins with an introduction to the science of biophysics, covering biophysical techniques and applications. Next, you'll learn the principles of physics, biology, and chemistry required to understand biophysics, including free energy, entropy, and statistical mechanics. Biomolecules and the forces that influence their structure and conformation are also covered, as are protein, nucleic acid, and membrane biophysics. Detailed examples and concise explanations make it easy to understand the material, and end-of-chapter quizzes and a final exam help reinforce key concepts. It's a no-brainer! You'll get: Molecular, subcellular, physiological, anatomical, and environmental biophysics The laws of thermodynamics as they apply to biophysical systems Forces affecting conformation in biological molecules The composition and structure of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids The fluid mosaic model Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for an advanced student, Biophysics Demystified makes this interdisciplinary subject easy to master . Plain and simple, biophysics is the physics of biology, just as astrophysics is the physics of astronomy and nuclear physics is the physics of atomic nuclei. [...] The Scope and Topics of Biophysics Biophysics is a very broad science, including a wide range of activities such as •. Studying the forces between atoms that determine the shape of a protein or DNA molecule •. Developing algorithms for a computer to analyze and display a three- dimensional image of the brain in real time during brain surgery •. Investigating and comparing the mechanics of limb mov [...] The shape and physical characteristics of lipid molecules make them associate with each other (stick together) in the form of a bilayer (two layers) with the molecule heads on the outside of the bilayer and the string-like tails on the inside (see Fig. [...] Membranes limit and control the movement of molecules into and out of the cell and from one region of the cell to another. [...] Once the drug-filled lipid vesicles are in the bloodstream, we can apply a stimulus like heat or mild radiation to a specific part of the body to cause the lipid vesicles to release the drugs at that place Explains the fundamentals of biophysics, covering molecular, subcellular, and physiological concepts, and providing detailed examples, end-of-chapter quizzes, and a final exam This accessible guide to biophysics is a welcome alternative to the complex, expensive texts on the topic.