Biophysical chemistry : molecules to membranes /

An attempt to produce a brief book that covers the principles of thermodynamics, the nature of aqueous solutions, and the properties of membranes and surfaces in biological systems. Intended for graduate students of biochemistry who do not have the traditional background in physical chemistry, the book does not fulfill its intentions in several respects. The first 100 pages, devoted to the principles of thermodynamics, are replete with errors, both conceptual and typographical. As an example, on p. 30, the derivative of U with respect to T "represents the change in energy of the system caused by a change in the system's temperature . . . . fits exactly the quantity of heat transferred in a pure transfer," when the quantity in question is the heat capacity. The efficiency of a reversible process is repeatedly referred to as 100, while the efficiency of a Carnot engine is defined as 1-T1/T2. In addition, the language of the book is frequently awkward, if not misleading. It would be a disservice to the intended student audience to have them depend on this book for basic biophysical chemistry. -R. M. Rosenberg, Lawrence University