Physics in Biology and Medicine

At one time scientists believed that a "vital force" governed the structure and organization of biological molecules. Today, most scientists realize that organisms are governed by the laws of physics on all levels.

While almost two centuries of research have found that physical laws fully apply to biology, work is far from complete. Basic questions at the atomic, molecular, and organismal levels remain unanswered. Even when typically complex molecular structure is known, function is not yet predictable. Nourishment, growth, reproduction, and communication distinguish biological matter from inorganic matter, yet these mechanisms are understood only qualitatively.

This book furthers our understanding by relating important concepts in physics to living systems. Applications of physics in biology and medicine are emphasized, with no previous knowledge of biology required. The analysis is largely quantitative, but only high-school physics and mathematics are assumed. Underlying basic physics appears in appendices. Biological systems are described in only enough detail for physical analysis.

The organization is similar to basic physics texts: solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, sound, electricity, optics, and atomic and nuclear physics. A bibliography gives important sources for further reading.