Friday, March 12, 2010

What is biochemistry, and how does it differ from the fields of genetics, biology, chemistry, and molecular biology?

Biochemistry is the study of the molecular nature of life and its processes based on the function and reactions elements and their derivatives undergo. It differs from the fields of genetics, biology, chemistry and molecular biology because it is a part of all of them. Each of these fields is the of studies topics on a more in depth nature, where biochemistry focuses on answering the question, what is the molecular nature of life processes? Biology is the study of life and its processes. Chemistry is the study of elements and the compounds they create and reactions that the element and compounds undergo. Genetics is the study of the information for the structure and function of all living organisms. Molecular biology is the study of life and its process on a molecular level without regards to why processes and reactions occur like biochemistry does. Without these other fields of study biochemistry would not be what it is and may not have had some of its findings, such as not have had the idea to determine how a NA+/K+ pump works and the energy that goes into making it work. Biochemistry also plays a role in other fields than the ones mentioned, such as pharmacology, nursing, and nutrition. In regards to pharmacology, the structure of a drug and how it reacts with the body is ultimately biochemistry.

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