Random Walks in Biology: New and Expanded Edition

by Howard C. Berg

Book Overview

This book is a lucid, straightforward introduction to the concepts and techniques of statistical physics that students of biology, biochemistry, and biophysics must know. It provides a sound basis for understanding random motions of molecules, subcellular particles, or cells, or of processes that depend on such motion or are markedly affected by it. Readers do not need to understand thermodynamics in order to acquire a knowledge of the physics involved...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0691082456
• ISBN13: 9780691082455
• Release Date: February 1984
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Length: 164 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Awesome.

Awesome. You will learn a lot about diffusion, stat mech, and even transport phenomena a tthe cellular level. Not worth 27 bucks tho.

An easy, enjoyable read!

Random walks in Biology explains concepts of diffusion driven processes in a lucid, intuitive and didactic fashion. The approach lacks mathematical rigor, but abounds in examples to incite interest in one and all. For physicists, this book offers a delightful peek into biophysical processes where their mathematical skills and knowledge of random processes can be utilized and tested. For biologists and chemists, the book presents an erudite route to understanding how these random processes, diffusion and fluctuations influence function and design of biological contrusts.

Good Source Book on Random Walk Maths - Easy Read

I bought this book in 1995 to get an understanding of random walk phenomena. The random walk equations are mostly biologically based. That is equations that describe the motion of biological things. Type of things covered ( including but not limited to) Ficks equations Diffusion Drift drag Diffusion at Equilibrium Derivation of Boltzman equation Importance of KT Mean Square Velocity Einstien-Scmoluchowski relation Flagellar propulsion Motility of Escherichia Coli Probability Distributions (Gaussian , Binomial , Poisson) etc The book is a fairly easy read. You'll need at least high school to uni maths background. The maths is fairly practical stuff ( translatable to s/w code ) There are plenty of graphs and diagrams.

This book rocks.

If you're interested in learning the physics underlying cellular biology, then you should read this book.The physics is pithy and the language is clear.