Structure of the course

Introduction

Introductory Physics for the Health and Life Sciences I is adapted from the OpenStax textbook College Physics and has been extensively revised for students enrolled in introductory algebra-based physics courses, particularly those preparing for careers in the health and life sciences. While preserving the rigorous treatment of the fundamental principles of physics, this edition incorporates updated examples, modern illustrations, and applications drawn from medicine, biology, and healthcare to demonstrate the central role of physics in understanding living systems and medical technologies.

Physics provides the foundation for understanding many of the phenomena encountered in healthcare and the life sciences. The principles introduced in this volume explain how forces govern human movement, how fluids circulate through the cardiovascular system, how heat is transferred within the body, how sound enables hearing and medical ultrasound, and how energy is transformed in both biological systems and modern medical devices. Throughout the text, special emphasis is placed on connecting physical principles to real-world applications that students are likely to encounter in their future professions.

Each chapter begins with clearly defined learning objectives and develops the underlying concepts through worked examples, illustrations, and systematic problem-solving strategies. Healthcare Connections, Conceptual Questions, and end-of-chapter problems encourage students to integrate physical reasoning with quantitative analysis while demonstrating the relevance of physics to medicine and biology. Although the chapters are presented in a logical sequence, each chapter is designed to serve as a self-contained learning resource.

This volume is the first of a two-semester introductory physics sequence. It introduces the fundamental principles of classical mechanics, fluids, thermodynamics, oscillations, and waves that provide the conceptual foundation for the study of electricity, magnetism, optics, and modern physics presented in Introductory Physics for the Health and Life Sciences II. Instructors may adapt the order of topics to meet the needs of their individual courses.

Topics Covered

• The Nature of Science and Physics
• Kinematics
• Dynamics: Force and Newton’s Laws of Motion
• Applications of Newton’s Laws: Friction, Drag, and Elasticity
• Uniform Circular Motion and Gravitation
• Work, Energy, and Energy Resources
• Linear Momentum and Collisions
• Statics and Torque
• Rotational Motion and Angular Momentum
• Fluid Statics
• Fluid Dynamics and Its Biological and Medical Applications
• Temperature, Kinetic Theory, and the Gas Laws
• Heat and Heat Transfer Methods
• Thermodynamics
• Oscillatory Motion, Waves, and the Physics of Hearing