2 days agoEnergy: A Human HistoryIn Chapter 2 of Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology, Russ Hobbie and I have an end-of-chapter homework problem about consuming a finite resource. Section 2.10 Problem 37. The consumption of a finite resource is often modeled using thelogistic equation. Let y(t) be the cumulative amount of a resource consumed…Energy4 min read
Jul 29Essential Concepts in MRISuppose you’ve read Chapter 18 of Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology covering magnetic resonance imaging and you want to learn more. What do you read next? I suggest the new textbook by Yang Xia, Essential Concepts in MRI: Physics, Instrumentation, Spectroscopy, and Imaging. Xia writes in the Preface In…Mri3 min read
Jul 22FLASHIn radiotherapy, a dose of radiation is usually not given all at once, but instead is applied in fractions. In Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology, Russ Hobbie and I discuss fractionation this way. The central problem of radiation oncology is how much dose to give a patient, over what…Flash4 min read
Jul 15Medical Physics for World BenefitIn the last two blog posts ( here and here), I discussed the book True Tales of Medical Physics, edited by Jacob Van Dyk. Today, I want to bring to your attention something else I learned about when reading True Tales: the group Medical Physics for World Benefit. [Jacob (Jake)…Medical Physics2 min read
Jul 8The Physics of RadiologyIn last week’s blog post, I reviewed the recently published book True Tales of Medical Physics. A point I didn’t mention in my review was the central role of one textbook in the education of many of the authors who described their life story in True Tales. The Physics of…The Physics Of Radiology6 min read
Jul 1True Tales of Medical Physics: Insights into a Life-Saving SpecialtyI’ve found the perfect book for readers of Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology who are fascinated by medical physics but who don’t want a lot of technical details and math. Jacob Van Dyk recently published True Tales of Medical Physics: Insights into a Life-Saving Specialty. The book consists of…Medical Physics4 min read
Jun 24Specific Heat CapacityOne of the most important parameters in thermodynamics is the specific heat capacity. In Chapter 3 of Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology, Russ Hobbie and I define the specific heat capacity in this way: Consider a system into which a small amount of heat Q flows. In many cases…Heat Capacity3 min read
Jun 17LimpingIn Chapter 1 of Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology, Russ Hobbie and I discuss biomechanics. One of our most important examples is the force on the hip. The forces in the hip joint can be several times a person’s weight, and the use of a cane can be very…Biomechanics3 min read
Jun 10The Genetics of Cystic FibrosisIn Appendix H of Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology, Russ Hobbie and I briefly mention the severe lung disease cystic fibrosis. Analyzing this disease provides an opportunity to examine the prevalence of a genetic disorder. I’ll do this by creating a new homework problem. Appendix H Problem 5 ½…Cystic Fibrosis3 min read
Jun 3Roger Bacon, Biological PhysicistAbout a year ago I began reading the eleven-volume series The Story of Civilization by Will and Ariel Durant. I just finished Volume 4, The Age of Faith. A History of Medieval Civilization — Christian, Islamic, and Judaic — from Constantine to Dante: A.D. 325–1300. Of course, I’m always on…The Story Of Civilization4 min read
