A balanced presentation of the concepts of physical chemistry, and their applications to biology and biochemistry. Written to straddle the worlds of physical chemistry and the life sciences, it shows how the tools of physical chemistry can elucidate biological questions.

Focus 1: Biochemical Thermodynamics: The First Law Focus 2: Biochemical Thermodynamics: The Second Law Focus 3: Water and Aqueous solutions Focus 4: Chemical equilibrium Focus 5: Ion and Electron Transport Focus 6: The Rates of Reactions Focus 7: Biochemical kinetics Focus 8: Atoms Focus 9: Molecules Focus 10: Macromolecules and self-assembly Focus 11: Biochemical spectroscopy Focus 12: Scattering techniques Focus 13: Gravimetric methods

Peter Atkins is a fellow of Lincoln College in the University of Oxford and emeritus professor of physical chemistry. He is the author of over seventy books for students and a general audience. His texts are market leaders around the globe. A frequent lecturer in the United States and throughout the world, he has held visiting professorships in France, Israel, Japan, China, Russia, the USA, and New Zealand. He was the founding chairman of the Committee on Chemistry Education of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and was a member of IUPAC's Physical and Biophysical Chemistry Division. Peter was the 2016 recipient of the American Chemical Society's Grady-Stack Award for the communication of chemistry. R. George Ratcliffe is an Emeritus Professor of Plant Sciences at the University of Oxford. He was formerly Head of the Department of Plant Sciences, and throughout his career he was extensively involved in the teaching of undergraduate chemists, biologists, and biochemists. He has received awards for excellence in teaching from the University of Oxford, and he co-authored a successful student text with Mark Wormald. He has long-standing interests in NMR spectroscopy, mitochondrial metabolism, metabolic flux analysis, and metabolic modelling Mark Wormald is Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Oxford, a University Research Lecturer in the Oxford Glycobiology Institute, and Senior Tutor and Tutorial Fellow in Biochemistry and Chemistry in Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He has received a Teaching Excellence Award and a Teaching Project Award from the University, and has twice been shortlisted for the Most Acclaimed Lecturer in the Medical Sciences Division in the Oxford Student Union Teaching Awards. He has previously co-authored a successful undergraduate biochemistry textbook with George Ratcliffe. His research interests are in the solution structure and dynamics of oligosaccharides and related compounds, glycopeptides, and glycoproteins. Julio de Paula is a Professor of Chemistry, Lewis & Clark College. A native of Brazil, he received a B.A. degree in chemistry from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and a Ph.D. in biophysical chemistry from Yale University. His research activities encompass the areas of molecular spectroscopy, biophysical chemistry, and nanoscience. He has taught courses in general chemistry, physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, environmental chemistry, instrumental analysis, and writing. Julio was a recipient of the 2020 STAR Award, given by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement.

Offers a fully integrated approach to the study of physical chemistry and biology; lecturers and students alike have a text that is truly tailor-made for their course. Strong pedagogical approach emphasises biological perspectives and the link between concepts and practical applications through worked examples, exercises, and problems throughout. Every section of the text presents a core physical chemistry concept in tandem with its biological significance; the student is in no doubt as to the relevance of the physical concept to the study of biology. All applications and exercises relate directly to life sciences systems, further contextualising the physical chemistry content for life sciences students. The presentation of maths, and calculus in particular, covers only the essentials and each mathematical step is carefully justified, in order to build the students' confidence in the mathematical concepts underlying the subject. Research-based newly developed structure emphasising in topics and providing a flexible and adaptative approach. The highly visual presentation helps student to understand even the most complex concepts.