Biochemistry For Dummies^?

by John T. Moore; Richard H. Langley

• ISBN13: 9780470194287
• ISBN10: 0470194286
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-04-01
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Are you baffled by biochemistry? You're not the first, and you won't be the last. Here's the good news - you don't have to stay baffled! Biochemistry For Dummies shows you the fun and easy way to get a handle on biochemistry, apply the science, raise your grades, and prepare yourself to ace any standardized test.This friendly, unintimidating guide presents an overview of the material covered in a typical college-level biochemistry course and makes biochemistry basics easy to understand. It explains all the topics and practical applications in plain English. From cell ultrastructure and carbohydrates to amino acids, proteins, and supramolecular structure, you'll identify biochemical structures and reactions, send your grades soaring, and start looking forward to your next class, instead of dreading it. Discover how to: Master biochemistry basics Work through biochemistry problems Prepare for standardized tests Grasp amino acid and protein structures Nail down enzyme terminology Get a grip on the Michaelis-Menton equation Load up on carbo knowledge Crack the nucleic acid code Learn to love lipids - but not too much Master the ABCs of vitamins Apply biochem in everyday life Explore a career in the fieldFrom water chemistry to protein synthesis Biochemistry For Dummies gives you the vital information, clear explanations, and important insights you need to increase your understanding and improve your performance on any biochemistry test.

Author Biography

John Moore grew up in the foothills of Western North Carolina. He attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, where he received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry. He earned his master’s degree in chemistry from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. After a stint in the United States Army, he decided to try his hand at teaching. In 1971, he joined the chemistry faculty of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, where he still teaches chemistry. In 1985 he started back to school part time and in 1991 received his doctorate in education from Texas A&M University. For the last five years has been the co-editor (along with one of his former students) of the “Chemistry for Kids” feature of The Journal of Chemical Education. In 2003, his first book, Chemistry For Dummies, was published, soon to be followed by Chemistry Made Simple. John enjoys cooking and making custom knife handles from exotic woods.

Richard Langley grew up in southwestern Ohio. He attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he received bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and mineralogy and then a master’s degree in chemistry. His next stop was the University of Nebraska, where he received his doctorate in chemistry. Afterwards, he took a postdoctoral position at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, followed by a visiting assistant professor position at the University of Wisconsin at River Falls. In 1982, he moved to Stephen F. Austin State University. For the past several years, he and John have been graders for the Free Response portion of the AP Chemistry Exam. He and John have collaborated on several writing projects, including 5 Steps To A 5 on the AP: Chemistry and Chemistry for the Utterly Confused. Rich enjoys jewelry making and science fiction.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Setting the Stage: Basic Biochemistry Concepts

Biochemistry: What You Need to Know and Why

Dive In: Water Chemistry

Fun with Carbon: Organic Chemistry

The Meat of Biochemistry: Proteins

Amino Acids: The Building Blocks of Protein

Protein Structure and Function

Enzymes Kinetics: Getting There Faster

Carbohydrates, Lipids, Nucleic Acids, and More

What We Crave: Carbohydrates

Lipids and Membranes

Nucleic Acids and the Code of Life

Vitamins and Nutrients

Be Quiet: Hormones

Bioenergetics and Pathways

Life and Energy

ATP: The Body's Monetary System

Smelly Biochemistry: Nitrogen in Biological Systems

Genetics: Why We Are What We Are

Photocopying DNA

Transcribe This! RNA Transcription

Translation: Protein Synthesis

The Part of Tens

Ten Great Applications of Biochemistry

Ten Biochemistry Careers

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.