The Chemistry of Biology

Introduction

In the beginning, there was biology. It reigned supreme over the other subject areas in splendor and elegance. It defined and explained the living parts of the world and their environment. What else is there to know?

An understanding of biology requires a little knowledge of chemistry, and an understanding of chemistry requires a little knowledge of mathematics—that's where we draw the line. It is important to know aspects of chemistry to make biology come alive, but it is not important to go into detailed mathematical applications to understand the principles of biology—so we won't!

Modern biology overlaps with chemistry in explaining the structure and function of all cellular processes at the molecular level. Several important chemical concepts are treated in detail in the sections that follow. When applied in later sections, these chemical concepts will allow you to construct greater meaning of the more complex biological principles.

Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Biology © 2004 by Glen E. Moulton, Ed.D.. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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