640-151 Physics for Biomedical Science A

This subject is only available to Bachelor of Biomedical Science students and Bachelor of Optometry students.

Students may only gain credit for one of 640-005, 640-121, 640-141, 640-151 and 640-161.

Some knowledge of physics, VCE Unit 3/4 Mathematical Methods or equivalent.

For BSc students, entry to this subject will be by invitation of the Head of the School of Physics, usually requiring a very high level of achievement in the final year of secondary school.

This subject will develop students' appreciation of the importance of physical principles to biomedical science as well as their understanding of the principles underpinning human structure and function, medical diagnostics and therapeutics. Students completing this subject will be able to:

• explain the basic principles of sound, optics, atomic physics, lasers and biomechanics;

• apply these principles, together with mathematical reasoning, to situations in the biomedical sciences; and

• acquire and interpret experimental data.

In addition, students will be able to:

• participate as an effective member of tutorial, laboratory and study groups;

• communicate their understanding of physics orally and in written form in tutorials, lab classes, seminar program and study groups; and

• manage their time commitments to this subject in order to be prepared for regular lab and tutorial classes as well as tests and examination.

The subject provides an introduction to:

• acoustics: hearing, speech, ultrasound imaging, therapeutic applications of sound (properties of waves, the nature of sound, superposition of waves, Doppler effect, interaction of sound with matter);

• optics: optical imaging and sensing, human and animal vision (reflection, refraction and dispersion of light, mirrors, optical fibres, lenses, optical imaging and optical instruments);

• atomic physics and lasers: fluorescence imaging and spectroscopy, laser surgery (structure of the atom, photons, spectroscopy, interaction of light with matter); and

• mechanics: human and animal movement, sport, injuries (Newton's laws of motion, energy transfer and transformation, mechanical properties of materials, elasticity, compression and extension).

A 3-hour end-of-semester written examination (65%); laboratory work together with a group project (25%); up to three tests totalling up to two hours and/or written assignments during the semester, up to an equivalent of 2000 words (10%). Students must complete both laboratory and project work satisfactorily to obtain a pass.

• RA Serway and JW Jewett, Principles of Physics. 4th edn, Thomson, 2006.
• J Faughn, Life Science Applications for Physics. Harcourt, 1998.