We make a special effort to complement the algebra-based, introductory physics course targeted for students in life sciences (PHYS 135) with reading materials and problems relevant to biological and medical fields. The objectives are to relate important concepts in physics to living systems, with particular emphasis on applications in biology and medicine.

A circuit representation of an axon. (Reproduced from Philip Nelson's Biological Physics.)

Students particularly praise a physics perspective on biological applications that they may have already seen in their other classes.  For example, while covering topics in electricity, we spend two full lectures discussing a physical model for propagation of electric potentials in axons.  Many students are familiar with nerve functions from their classes in neuroscience and find the physics perspective complementing their understanding.

An inexpensive instrument for demonstrating an operation of ECG was purchased from Ramsey Electronics.

The in-class demonstrations are also geared toward bio-medical applications.  A favorite demo is the operation of the electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor, where students observe electric potentials on the skin of a human body in action.

We supplement the standard physics text with reading materials that further integrate concepts of physics into ideas in biology and medicine.  After reading the supplements, students are asked to write short essays on topics such as computerized x-ray tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, treatment of foods by gamma radiation etc.

A reading supplement to standard physics text used in the course, by Paul Davidovits.