vi Preface 



into this category, and require a knowledge of several specialized 

 fields. For example, a complete background for the study of vision 

 must include geometrical optics, spectroscopy, quantum biochemistry, 

 physiology, psychology, neurophysiology, and electronics. 



A certain group of research topics, all of which involve both 

 biology and advanced physics, have come to be called biophysics. 

 However, there is no general agreement concerning the topics 

 properly belonging to this field. Those included here are the au- 

 thor's choice and emphasize his interests. They do include most of 

 the fields generally assigned to biophysics. 



Biophysics has become a field that is important for all physicists 

 to study. For the prospective college teacher, it presents a variety 

 of examples which can make general physics more interesting and 

 of greater direct personal appeal. Accordingly, students from bio- 

 logical and premedical curricula will learn more physics in a general 

 course taught by an instructor well versed in biophysics. Similarly, 

 the industrial physicist will find that a biophysics course will broaden 

 his appreciation of the applications of physics. 



Biophysics is likewise a valuable course for seniors or graduate 

 students majoring in biological sciences or medicine. Representing 

 a different approach to topics they may study in other courses, 

 biophysics can make an important contribution to a well-rounded 

 training in biology. The premedical student will find that a bio- 

 physics course will help him to understand normal and abnormal 

 physiology and will make electromedical apparatus more useful 

 to him. 



Another group for which a biophysics course may be useful is that 

 of electrical engineers. The field of medical electronics has grown 

 almost concurrently with the growth of biophysics. 



Each of these different types of readers will have different back- 

 grounds and preparations, so background material from physics 

 and biology is introduced at appropriate points. Such background 

 material will give the reader an appreciation of the importance of 

 both physics and biology. Biophysics is as unsuited to people who 

 know no biology as to those who know no physics. 



In terms of the nature of the material covered, biophysics is cer- 

 tainly closer to conventional biology than to traditional physics. 

 Nonetheless, most physics majors can equip themselves, by extra 

 reading, with sufficient biological knowledge to understand all the 

 topics of biophysics. However, certain students majoring in the 

 biological sciences must accept on faith the conclusions of many 

 mathematical proofs. In terms of methodology, as opposed to 

 content, biophysics is closer to physics than to biology. 



