Biophysics

Biophysics is the application of physics and physical chemistry to biological systems.

The field is often confined within the molecular biology realm, but it is equally valid at
macroscopic scales when considering aspects of organism transport on land, in the
atmosphere and in water.
Molecular biophysics addresses cellular physical chemistry such as interactions
between DNA, RNA and protein biosynthesis, including regulation of these functions.
Moreover, within this province are organism tissue studies including osmotic motion at
the root/ soil interface; stomatal gas exchange in plants; alveoli gas exchange in
animals; and electromagnetic aspects of neuron. Technology used in molecular
biophysics includes electron microscopy, x-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic
resonance and polarized light spectroscopy.
At a macroscopic level, biophysics is concerned with quantification of organism
morphology and fitness. Thus, measurement of animal movement (velocity and
acceleration) and body mass are fundamental in assessing fitness. Seed dispersal is
concerned with the ability of seeds to achieve significant airborne buoyancy and range.
The entire subject of animal flight is a valid subject of biophysics; moreover, the
subjects of organism fluid buoyancy and swimming fitness are central in analyzing
aquatic organism fitness.