Chemicals of Life

Abstract

Writing 'Chemicals of Life' was the most satisfying experience for me. It reminded me of my student days when I got introduced to biochemistry, a subject which deals with the study of biomolecules that control the biological functions of any living system. These chemi-cals of life occur in the cells of all plants and animals including us. Living things are full of chemical com-pounds including the many common elements such as hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen. Biochemists try to determine the structure of such compounds and estab-lish their biological functions. All organisms contain compounds which help form the various substances in a cell and enable it to function properly. Certain inor-ganic substances such as minerals and water also play a role in the cell's growth and maintenance. The book attempts to make both students and lay-men understand the basis of living things - the chemi-cals of life without which there would be no life on this earth. The purpose of writing this book is to introduce the basic concepts of biochemistry, generate curiosity, inculcate interest in the subject and disseminate scien-tific information to masses.