SCOPE AND METHODS OF BIOPHYICS

Living organisms are multilevel complex systems.Large and small molecules, cell organells, cells, tissues, organs, organisms, population, the biosphere are all levels that must be dealt with biology and biophysics.

Biophysics has been classified as:

1. Molecular Biophysics
2. Biophysics of cell
3. Biophycis of complex system

Molecular Biophysics

It is concerned with the study of the structure and physiochemical properties of biologically functional molecules; primarily biopolymers, proteins and nucleic acids. Its objective is to disclose the phycisal mechanism responsible for the biological functionality of the molecules say for catalytic activity of protein enzymes. Molecular biophycics can't be separated from molecular biology and  chemistry.
Molecular biophysics on one hand rests on biochemical disciplines and on the other hand , on the phycis of small and large molecules.


The theoritical apparatus of molecular biophysics consists of equilibrium thermodynamics, statistical mechanics and quantum mechanics. For an experimental study of biologically functional molecules use is made up of wide range of phycisal methods.

The first group includes methods employed in macromolecular physics for the determination of molecular masses, sizes and shapes- sedimentation in the ultra centrifuse, scattering of light and X-rays by collision of the substances to be studied etc.

The second group includes method used for investigarion of molecular structure and based on interaction of matter with light in the broad sense of these words from X- rays to radiofrequency radiation.NMR ( Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) and EPR( Electron Paramagnetic resonance) are also important calorimetric methods for macromolecules.

The third group includes calorimetric methods used for the study of the conversion of bioilogical macromolecules.Finally the structure of proteins and nucleic acids are directly studied by means of electron microscopy.