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Elsevier

Physics in Biology and Medicine

Physics in Biology and Medicine, Third Edition covers topics in physics as they apply to the life sciences, specifically medicine, physiology, nursing, and other applied health fi… Read more

Description

Physics in Biology and Medicine, Third Edition covers topics in physics as they apply to the life sciences, specifically medicine, physiology, nursing, and other applied health fields.

This concise introductory paperback surveys and relates basic physics to living systems. It discusses biological systems that can be analyzed quantitatively, and how advances in the life sciences have been aided by the knowledge of physical or engineering analysis techniques.

This text is designed for premed students, doctors, nurses, physiologists, or other applied health workers, and other individuals who wish to understand the nature of the mechanics of our bodies.

Key features

- Provides practical techniques for applying knowledge of physics to the study of living systems
- Presents material in a straight forward manner requiring very little background in physics or biology
- Includes many figures, examples and illustrative problems and appendices which provide convenient access to the most important concepts of mechanics, electricity, and optics

Readership

Premed students, Doctors, nurses, physiologists, or other applied health workers, and other individuals who wish to understand the nature of the mechanics of our bodies

Table of contents

Chapter 1: Static Forces
Chapter 2: Friction
Chapter 3: Translational Motion
Chapter 4: Angular Motion
Chapter 5: Elasticity and Strength of Materials
Chapter 6: Insect Flight
Chapter 7: Fluids
Chapter 8: The Motion of Fluids
Chapter 9: Heat and Kinetic Theory
Chapter 10: Thermodynamics
Chapter 11: Heat and Life
Chapter 12: Waves and Sound
Chapter 13: Electricity
Chapter 14: Electrical Technology
Chapter 15: Optics
Chapter 16: Atomic Physics
Chapter 17: Nuclear Physics
Bibliography

Review quotes

Reviews from the second edition:
"This is a book you should consider if you are teaching the one-semester premed course. This text could be used in two ways: 1) as a text for a one-term course in the physics of the body (without calculus) for non-physics majors in premed or allied health programs, or 2) as a supplementary text for the introductory physics course, particularly for premed students."—Russell Hobbie, University of Minnesota

"There is certainly a viable market (for this book), if not as a stand-alone physics text, as a collection of problems, examples, and discussions at the boundary between physics and biology and medicine. It is very well written; it is certainly accurate; and it is pretty complete."—David Cinabro, Wayne State University

Product details

About the author

PD

Paul Davidovits

Professor of Chemistry at Boston College, was co-awarded the prestigious R.W. Wood prize from the Optical Society of America for his seminal work in optics. His contribution was foundational in the field of confocal microscopy, which allows engineers and biologists to produce optical sections through 3D objects such as semiconductor circuits, living tissues, or a single cell. He has published more than 150 papers in physical chemistry and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and of the American Association for Advancement of Science. The second edition of Physics in Biology and Medicine received the Alpha Sigma Nu Book Award in the Discipline of the Natural Sciences.
Affiliations and expertise
University Professor of Chemistry, Boston College, Massachusetts, USA