- #1
JaredEBland
- 28
- 1
I came across a blog post or some internet page (probably a year ago now) saying that since the 1970s biological systems could be described purely in terms of physics. I tried searching for a decent text that describes biology and chemistry in terms of rudimentary physics but couldn't find anything too cheap. I'm looking for a text that does not go into the nitty gritty physics of biology and physiology, but more conceptual physics. I'm looking for a text for a friend, she has some (very) basic calculus skills, but understands the actual physics in the first two introductory physics courses.
To get a feel for what I'm asking about, here's an example: A friend of mine took physiology and in studying for her final came across in notes when the blood vessels dilate the blood speed slows, and she didn't understand it. I explained it roughly using the conversation of volume (really it's mass, but I don't see the blood being compressed much) in that when the pipe gets wider, the speed slows for the same volume of blood per second. The next week's slide said that the blood flow increased when the vessels got larger. She then became confused over the "conflicting" messages. I similarly said that when the flow increased, while the speed is slower, if you look at the volume of blood per second you can still have a larger volume of blood flowing since you can look at a little cylinder section of the vessel. I'm not really looking for describing biology in terms of dynamical systems or networks that make it all work, but more of a biology explained in basic physics.
Any advice on a text? I asked one of my professors; however, he was not able to name a text along those lines. Apparently, algebra based physics texts are being adapted with more biological applications. Rather than physics with biology related problems, I'd like a text that relates the biology and physics together as a part of the main text.
To get a feel for what I'm asking about, here's an example: A friend of mine took physiology and in studying for her final came across in notes when the blood vessels dilate the blood speed slows, and she didn't understand it. I explained it roughly using the conversation of volume (really it's mass, but I don't see the blood being compressed much) in that when the pipe gets wider, the speed slows for the same volume of blood per second. The next week's slide said that the blood flow increased when the vessels got larger. She then became confused over the "conflicting" messages. I similarly said that when the flow increased, while the speed is slower, if you look at the volume of blood per second you can still have a larger volume of blood flowing since you can look at a little cylinder section of the vessel. I'm not really looking for describing biology in terms of dynamical systems or networks that make it all work, but more of a biology explained in basic physics.
Any advice on a text? I asked one of my professors; however, he was not able to name a text along those lines. Apparently, algebra based physics texts are being adapted with more biological applications. Rather than physics with biology related problems, I'd like a text that relates the biology and physics together as a part of the main text.