Physics for Life Sciences - PHYS 120

Applies mechanics, fluids, energy, electricity, and waves to biological and medical contexts.

Study Tools

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Study guides

6 Waves and Sound in Biology and Medicine

Learn how oscillations and sound waves work, how the ear turns sound into neural signals, and how ultrasound uses echoes to image tissues and assess blood flow.

Study guide · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:11.240Z

9 Applied Biophysics in Medicine

Learn how mechanics, energy, electricity, and waves are used to measure biological processes, guide medical treatment, and support safe clinical decisions.

Study guide · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:13.665Z

7 Light and Optics in Biology and Medicine

Learn how light interacts with biological tissue, how vision and spectroscopy use those interactions, and how optical imaging methods support research and diagnosis.

Study guide · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:17.981Z

3 Fluids in Biological Systems

Learn how pressure, resistance, and tissue properties govern blood flow, breathing, and fluid exchange between blood and surrounding tissues.

Study guide · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:10.581Z

8 Radiation and Medical Imaging

Learn how medical imaging uses radiation to reveal anatomy and function, how X-rays interact with tissue, and how dose and protection principles guide safe imaging.

Study guide · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:11.530Z

5 Electricity in Biological Systems

Learn how ion movement creates electrical signals in cells, how circuit models explain membrane behavior, and how instruments measure bioelectric activity.

Study guide · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:10.726Z

4 Energy and Thermodynamics in Biology

Learn how energy moves through biological systems, how thermodynamic laws explain metabolism, and how these principles inform body-temperature regulation and clinical measurement.

Study guide · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:08.172Z

2 Mechanics of the Body

Builds from forces and motion to torque, tissue deformation, and the mechanical principles behind supportive medical devices.

Study guide · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:13.560Z

1 Physical Foundations for Biology and Medicine

Learn how measurement, scaling, and explicit assumptions help build and evaluate physical models of biological and medical systems.

Study guide · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:14.956Z

Quizzes

4 Energy and Thermodynamics in Biology

A quiz on biological thermodynamics, energy transformations, cellular work, and clinical applications.

Quiz · Updated 2026-10-02T16:51:42.224Z

8 Radiation and Medical Imaging

A medium-difficulty quiz on how medical imaging uses radiation, how X-ray interactions affect images, and how exposure is managed.

Quiz · Updated 2026-09-30T20:03:31.155Z

6 Waves and Sound in Biology and Medicine

A medium-difficulty quiz on wave behavior, hearing, and medical ultrasound.

Quiz · Updated 2026-09-30T20:03:47.634Z

3 Fluids in Biological Systems

A medium-difficulty quiz on fluid flow, resistance, circulation, breathing, and exchange between blood and tissues.

Quiz · Updated 2026-09-30T20:04:21.194Z

9 Applied Biophysics in Medicine

A medium-difficulty quiz applying the physical principles behind medical measurement, imaging, treatment, and device safety.

Quiz · Updated 2026-09-30T20:03:40.216Z

7 Light and Optics in Biology and Medicine

A medium-difficulty quiz on how light interacts with biological tissue and how optical methods are used in vision, microscopy, and measurement.

Quiz · Updated 2026-09-30T20:03:42.114Z

5 Electricity in Biological Systems

A medium-difficulty quiz on how ion movement, membrane properties, nerve signaling, and bioelectric measurements relate to electrical principles.

Quiz · Updated 2026-09-30T20:03:51.693Z

2 Mechanics of the Body

A medium-difficulty quiz on applying biomechanics concepts to forces, movement, tissue loading, and medical devices.

Quiz · Updated 2026-09-30T20:03:14.060Z

1 Physical Foundations for Biology and Medicine

A medium-difficulty quiz on physical quantities, scaling, measurement, and modeling in biology and medicine.

Quiz · Updated 2026-09-30T20:03:17.859Z

Flashcards

7 Light and Optics in Biology and Medicine

Review how light interacts with biological tissues and how optical principles support vision, spectroscopy, microscopy, and diagnosis.

Flashcards · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:11.128Z

3 Fluids in Biological Systems

Learn how pressure, resistance, vessel geometry, breathing mechanics, and capillary fluid exchange shape fluid movement in the body.

Flashcards · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:14.803Z

5 Electricity in Biological Systems

Learn how ion movement creates biological electrical signals, how nerve impulses travel, and how bioelectric activity is measured.

Flashcards · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:13.597Z

9 Applied Biophysics in Medicine

Review how physical principles support medical measurement, imaging, treatment, and device safety.

Flashcards · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:10.038Z

2 Mechanics of the Body

Learn how forces and torques produce body movement, how tissues deform under load, and how biomechanics informs medical-device design.

Flashcards · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:08.490Z

6 Waves and Sound in Biology and Medicine

Review how sound waves work, how hearing processes them, and how ultrasound forms images and assesses blood flow.

Flashcards · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:14.456Z

8 Radiation and Medical Imaging

Review how medical imaging forms images, how X-rays interact with tissue, and how radiation exposure is managed.

Flashcards · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:11.922Z

4 Energy and Thermodynamics in Biology

Review how energy, work, heat, and thermodynamic laws explain metabolism, cellular activity, body temperature, and clinical measurements.

Flashcards · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:13.584Z

1 Physical Foundations for Biology and Medicine

Review the units, measurement principles, scaling relationships, and modeling practices used to describe biological and medical systems.

Flashcards · Updated 2026-09-30T20:02:11.681Z