Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences

The behaviour of those macromolecules and molecular assemblies that have vital roles in all living organisms is grounded in physical chemistry. Physical principles determine the stability of proteins and nucleic acids, the rate at which biochemical reactions proceed, the transport of molecules across biological molecules; they allow us to describe structure and reactivity in complex biological systems, and make sense of how these systems operate. Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences fills a void in the textbook market by offering a balanced presentation of the concepts of physical chemistry, and their extensive applications to biology and biochemistry. It is written to straddle the worlds of physical chemistry and the life sciences and to show students how the tools of physical chemistry can elucidate and illuminate biological questions.