Physics With Illustrative Examples From Medicine and Biology

1 Elements of the Theory of Probability: The Binomial Distribution: Applications.- 1.1 Definition of Probability. The Two Rules. Illustrative Examples.- 1.2 Bernoulli Trials. The Binomial Distribution.- 1.3 Mean Values and Variance.- 1.4 Illustrative Applications.- 1.5 References and Supplementary Reading.- 1.6 Problems.- 2 Diffusion and Transport Processes.- 2.1 Molecular Movement and the Physical Properties of Gases: A Short Survey.- 2.2 Random Walk in One and Three Dimensions.- 2.3 The Diffusion Equation.- 2.4 Particle Conservation, Particle Current, and Fick’s Law.- 2.5 Flow and Diffusion of Particles Under the Action of External Forces and Collisions with Solvent Molecules.- 2.6 Flow of Solute and Solvent Across a Membrane in the Presence of Both Pressure and Concentration Gradients.- 2.Al Derivation of the Relation (2-6): Total Kinetic Energy = 3/2p V.- 2.A2 Proof of the Equipartition Law for a “Test Particle” of Mass M in a Gas at Temperature T.- 2.A3 Gaussian Integrals.- 2.7 References and Supplementary Reading.- 2.8 Problems.- 3 Poisson Statistics.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Derivation of the Poisson Probability Distribution.- 3.3 Properties of the Poisson Distribution.- 3.4 Poisson Statistics and the Detection of Light by the Eye.- 3.5 The Luria-Delbrück Experiment: Mutation as the Source of Bacterial Immunity to Virus Attack.- 3.6 References and Supplementary Reading.- 3.7 Problems.- 4 Thermal Equilibrium. The Boltzmann Factor. Entropy and Free Energy. The Second Law of Thermodynamics. Application to Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.- 4.1 The Statistical Nature of Thermal Equilibrium.- 4.2 The Probability Distribution of Energy. The Boltzmann Factor.- 4.3 Macroscopic Statement of Equilibrium Conditions. Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics, MinimumPrinciple for Free Energy. Chemical Potentials.- 4.4 Applications of the Equilibrium Conditions to Problems in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.- 4.Al Multinomial Coefficients: Weight of a Macrostate for the Einstein Crystal.- 4.A2 Occupancy of Microcells by Atoms of an Ideal Gas.- 4.A3 The Equipartition Theorem of Classical Statistical Mechanics.- 4.5 References and Supplementary Reading.- 4.6 Problems.- Table of Important Constants.- Table of Units and Conversion Factors.- 4.6.A. Units of Length.- 4.6.B. Units of Area and Volume.- 4.6.C. Units of Force.- 4.6.D. Units of Pressure.- 4.6.E. Units of Energy.