This book is a translation of the 6th to 8th edition of the author's Kleines Lehrbuch der Physik. The circle of readers to which it hopes to appeal and the author's purpose in writing it have been set out in the Preface to the first German edition, published in 1948. The present book consistently follows the principles of the theory of quantities, the beginnings of which date back to James C. Maxwell. This means that in all equations in this book the symbols invariably stand for physical quantities and not for the numerical values of quantities. Only then are the equations gene rally valid and independent of the choice of units used in their evaluation. The units used are always the "metric" units which have been gaining ground increasingly also in the English-speaking countries. A conversion table for some of the more important Anglo-American units is given on page XIV. I would like to record my sincere gratitude to Mr. Ewald Osers for his pains taking work in making this translation and to Mr. P. C. Banbury, Ph. D., of the Department of Physics, University of Reading, England, both for the advice he has given hirn throughout and for devising the problems specially for this edition.

The medical applications of physics are not typically covered in introductory physics courses. Introduction to Physics in Modern Medicine fills that gap by explaining the physical principles behind technologies such as surgical lasers or computed tomography (CT or CAT) scanners. Each chapter includes a short explanation of the scientific background, making this book highly accessible to those without an advanced knowledge of physics. It is intended for medicine and health studies students who need an elementary background in physics, but it also serves well as a non-mathematical introduction to applied physics for undergraduate students in physics, engineering, and other disciplines.

This full-colour undergraduate textbook, based on a two semester course, presents the fundamentals of biological physics, introducing essential modern topics that include cells, polymers, polyelectrolytes, membranes, liquid crystals, phase transitions, self-assembly, photonics, fluid mechanics, motility, chemical kinetics, enzyme kinetics, systems biology, nerves, physiology, the senses, and the brain. The comprehensive coverage, featuring in-depth explanations of recent rapid developments, demonstrates this to be one of the most diverse of modern scientific disciplines. The Physics of Living Processes: A Mesoscopic Approach is comprised of five principal sections: • Building Blocks • Soft Condensed Matter Techniques in Biology • Experimental Techniques • Systems Biology • Spikes, Brains and the Senses The unique focus is predominantly on the mesoscale — structures on length scales between those of atoms and the macroscopic behaviour of whole organisms. The connections between molecules and their emergent biological phenomena provide a novel integrated perspective on biological physics, making this an important text across a variety of scientific disciplines including biophysics, physics, physical chemistry, chemical engineering and bioengineering. An extensive set of worked tutorial questions are included, which will equip the reader with a range of new physical tools to approach problems in the life sciences from medicine, pharmaceutical science and agriculture.

A thoroughly updated and extended new edition of this well-regarded introduction to the basic concepts of biological physics for students in the health and life sciences. Designed to provide a solid foundation in physics for students following health science courses, the text is divided into six sections: Mechanics, Solids and Fluids, Thermodynamics, Electricity and DC Circuits, Optics, and Radiation and Health. Filled with illustrative examples, Introduction to Biological Physics for the Health and Life Sciences, Second Edition features a wealth of concepts, diagrams, ideas and challenges, carefully selected to reference the biomedical sciences. Resources within the text include interspersed problems, objectives to guide learning, and descriptions of key concepts and equations, as well as further practice problems. NEW CHAPTERS INCLUDE: Optical Instruments Advanced Geometric Optics Thermodynamic Processes Heat Engines and Entropy Thermodynamic Potentials This comprehensive text offers an important resource for health and life science majors with little background in mathematics or physics. It is also an excellent reference for anyone wishing to gain a broad background in the subject. Topics covered include: Kinematics Force and Newton’s Laws of Motion Energy Waves Sound and Hearing Elasticity Fluid Dynamics Temperature and the Zeroth Law Ideal Gases Phase and Temperature Change Water Vapour Thermodynamics and the Body Static Electricity Electric Force and Field Capacitance Direct Currents and DC Circuits The Eye and Vision Optical Instruments Atoms and Atomic Physics The Nucleus and Nuclear Physics Ionising Radiation Medical imaging Magnetism and MRI Instructor’s support material available through companion website, www.wiley.com/go/biological_physics

As the twentieth century ended, computers, the Internet, and nanotechnology were central to modern American life. Yet the physical advances underlying these applications are poorly understood and underappreciated by U.S. citizens. In this overview, Cassidy views physics through America's engagement with the political events of a tumultuous century.