Physics in Biology and Medicine

Physics in Biology and Medicine, Fifth Edition provides a highly relevant physics background for students in medicine and related professions. In many cases, biological systems are analyzed quantitatively. The text shows how advances in the life sciences have been aided by the knowledge of physical or engineering analysis techniques. The quantitative aspects of the subject are demonstrated, and associated exercises teach how to apply quantitative reasoning to the subject. This fully revised and updated edition includes new material on the biomechanics of joint replacement, the lubricating properties of saliva, 3-D printing and its use in medicine, new materials in dentistry, and more.

• Provides practical information and techniques for applying the knowledge of physics to the study of living systems
• Presents material in a straightforward manner that requires very little background in physics or biology
• Includes many figures, examples, illustrative problems and appendices which provide convenient access to the most important concepts of mechanics, electricity and optics in the body
• Features an online Instructor Solutions Manual

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. Dr. Davidovits earned his doctorate, masters, and undergraduate degrees from Columbia University. Prior to his appointment at Boston College, he was a faculty member at Yale University. 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.