The Physics of Living Systems

The Physics of Living Systems
Author: Fabrizio Cleri
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 635
Release: 2016-10-08
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3319306472

In this book, physics in its many aspects (thermodynamics, mechanics, electricity, fluid dynamics) is the guiding light on a fascinating journey through biological systems, providing ideas, examples and stimulating reflections for undergraduate physics, chemistry and life-science students, as well as for anyone interested in the frontiers between physics and biology. Rather than introducing a lot of new information, it encourages young students to use their recently acquired knowledge to start seeing the physics behind the biology. As an undergraduate textbook in introductory biophysics, it includes the necessary background and tools, including exercises and appendices, to form a progressive course. In this case, the chapters can be used in the order proposed, possibly split between two semesters. The book is also an absorbing read for researchers in the life sciences who wish to refresh or go deeper into the physics concepts gleaned in their early years of scientific training. Less physics-oriented readers might want to skip the first chapter, as well as all the "gray boxes" containing the more formal developments, and create their own á-la-carte menu of chapters.

Molecular and Biological Physics of Living Systems

Molecular and Biological Physics of Living Systems
Author: R.K. Mishra
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 300
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9400918909

The living organisms and systems possess extraordinary properties of programmed development, differentiation, growth, response, movement, duplication of key molecules and in m any cases higher mental functions. But the organisms are physical objects so they must follow laws of physics yet they do not seem to obey them. Physicists cannot easily persuade themselves to accept this as finally true. Non-living objects are governed by these laws of physics and they can explain these properties. However, in the living systems too phenomena encountered like coupled non-linear interactions, manybody effects, cooperativity, coherence, phase transitions, reversible metastable states are being understood better with the aid of powerful theoretical and experimental techniques and hope is raised that these may let us understand the mysteriousness of life. Contributors to this volume are a small fraction of rapidly growing scientific opinion that these aspects of living bodies are to be expected in a hitherto inadequately suspected state of matter which is in the main directed by these physical properties pushed almost to limit. This state of matter, the living matter, deserves to be called The Living State. Mishra proposes that given hydrogenic orbitals, atoms showing easy hybridisability and multiple valances, molecules with low-lying electronic levels, "loosestructure", and a metabolic pump in thermodynamically open system, various fundamental properties of living state can emerge automatically. Structurally these are all known to be present.

Physics in Molecular Biology

Physics in Molecular Biology
Author: Kim Sneppen
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 328
Release: 2005-08-25
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780521844192

This book, first published in 2005, is a discussion for advanced physics students of how to use physics to model biological systems.

Physical Models of Living Systems

Physical Models of Living Systems
Author: Philip Nelson
Publisher: Macmillan Higher Education
Total Pages: 365
Release: 2014-12-20
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1319036902

Written for intermediate-level undergraduates pursuing any science or engineering major, Physical Models of Living Systems helps students develop many of the competencies that form the basis of the new MCAT2015. The only prerequisite is first-year physics. With the more advanced "Track-2" sections at the end of each chapter, the book can be used in graduate-level courses as well.

The Physics of Proteins

The Physics of Proteins
Author: Hans Frauenfelder
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 423
Release: 2010-05-30
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1441910441

Provides an introduction to the structure and function of biomolecules --- especially proteins --- and the physical tools used to investigate them The discussion concentrates on physical tools and properties, emphasizing techniques that are contributing to new developments and avoiding those that are already well established and whose results have already been exploited fully New tools appear regularly - synchrotron radiation, proton radiology, holography, optical tweezers, and muon radiography, for example, have all been used to open new areas of understanding

Biophysics

Biophysics
Author: W. Hoppe
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 967
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3642688772

What is biophysics? As with all subjects which straddle traditional boundaries between fields, it eludes a precise definition. Furthermore, it is impossible to do biophysics without having a certain foundation of knowledge in biology, physics, physical chemistry, chemistry and biochemistry. One approach to a biophysics textbook would be to refer the student to the literature of these neighboring fields, and to leave the selection of the appropriate supplementary material up to the student. The editors of this volume are of the opinion that it is more useful and less time-consuming to present a selection of the supplementary knowledge, in concentrated form, together with the subject matter specific to biophysics. The reader will thus find in this book introductions to such subjects as the structure and function of the cell, the chemical structure of biogenic macromolecules, and even theoretical chemistry. What, indeed, is biophysics? Must we consider it to include physiology, electromedicine, radiation medicine, etc. ? The field has evolved continuously in recent years. Molecular understanding oflife processes has come more and more to the fore. Just as the field of molecular physics has developed to describe structures and processes in the realm of non-living systems, there has been a corresponding development of molecular biophysics.

Biophysical Processes in Living Systems

Biophysical Processes in Living Systems
Author: P. Pardha Saradhi
Publisher:
Total Pages: 388
Release: 2001
Genre: Science
ISBN:

This text updates the current understanding of the important biophysical aspects in living systems. Efforts are made to precisely furnish major biophysical aspects associated with structural and functional aspects, starting with water, macromolecules and membranes up to organ systems. Twenty independent research groups, actively involved in unravelling various aspects of living systems through a multidisciplinary approach using biophysics along with biochemistry and molecular biology have shared their experiences with examples in the book. Three chapters on neurobiology have also been included.

Biophysics

Biophysics
Author: Roland Glaser
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 388
Release: 2004-10-22
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9783540670889

Biophysics is the science of physical principles underlying the "phenomenon of life" on all levels of organization. This book begins by explaining molecular and ionic interactions, movements, excitation and energy transfer, and the self-organization of supramolecular structures. Then the biological organism is introduced as a non-equilibrium system. Finally, system analyses are discussed as well as environmental biophysics, ecological interactions, growth, differentiation, and evolution. A growing number of applications in biotechnology are based on these biophysical concepts.

The Physics of Proteins

The Physics of Proteins
Author: Hans Frauenfelder
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 448
Release: 2010-06-10
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9781441910431

Provides an introduction to the structure and function of biomolecules --- especially proteins --- and the physical tools used to investigate them The discussion concentrates on physical tools and properties, emphasizing techniques that are contributing to new developments and avoiding those that are already well established and whose results have already been exploited fully New tools appear regularly - synchrotron radiation, proton radiology, holography, optical tweezers, and muon radiography, for example, have all been used to open new areas of understanding