Chemistry for the Biosciences introduces the essential concepts of chemistry central to understanding biological systems. With an emphasis on straightforward explanations, it features biological examples illustrating how integral chemistry is to the biosciences, and includes learning features to help students master the essentials.
New to this edition:
- A new chapter, Metals in Biology, reviews the importance of metal ions in biological systems, to complement the coverage of organic compounds in other chapters.
- Streamlined coverage of organic compounds, with more emphasis on common features and trends.
- Enhanced and extended coverage of chemical reactions, including increased coverage of redox reactions and electrode potentials, and more emphasis on the carbonyl group and nucleophilic attack, and the reactions of carbonyl containing compounds.
- Earlier introduction of ionisation energy.
- Increased coverage of hydrogen bonding, resonance theory and enthalpy changes.
- Coverage of the mole and concentration is brought forward to chapter 5, giving students earlier exposure to these central concepts.
- Coverage of the structure of biological molecules now integrated into Chapter 10, Biological Macromolecules.
- Coverage of chemical reactions is brought forward to chapters 12 and 13, putting this topic back at the heart of the book.
- Coverage of electronegativity is brought earlier in chapter 3 as a lead into ionic and covalent bonding.
- New Chemical Toolkits explore some of the key skills and tools essential to understanding chemistry, and complement the existing Maths Tools.
- New problem-solving questions, available via the book's ORC, help students to develop their data-handling skills.
- A greater number of self-check questions provide students with more opportunities for active learning while reading each chapter.
- Video screencasts online walk readers through a selection of examples and calculations to help them master key numerical and data-handling skills.
1: Introduction: why biologists need chemistry
2: Atoms: the foundations of life
3: Compounds and chemical bonding: bringing atoms together
4: Molecular interactions: holding it all together
5: Moles, concentrations, and dilutions: making sense of chemical numbers
6: Organic compounds 1: hydrocarbons as the framework of life
7: Organic compounds 2: adding function to the framework of life
8: Molecular shape and structure: life in three dimensions
13: Isomerism: generating chemical variety
10: Biological macromolecules: providing life's infrastructure
11: Metals in biology: life beyond carbon
12: Chemical reactions 1: bringing molecules to life
13: Chemical reactions 2: reaction mechanisms driving the chemistry of life
14: Energy: what makes reactions go?
15: Equilibria: how far do reactions go?
16: Kinetics: what affects the speed of a reaction?
17: Acids, bases, and buffer solutions: life in an aqueous environment
18: Chemical analysis: characterizing chemical compounds
Reviews from the previous edition:
"This book is the best of its kind on the market; Crowe and Bradshaw is superbly written, makes great use of analogy, and maintains good biological focus."
– James McEvoy, Lecturer in Biological Chemistry, Royal Holloway, University of London
"Excellent in coverage and depth, with a clear and engaging structure."
– Paul Hagan, Teaching Fellow, University of Ulster