Introductory Physics for the Health and Life Sciences II

An introductory algebra-based physics textbook with applications in medicine, biology, and the health sciences

Adapted from College Physics by OpenStax

Revised and adapted by

Saúl Beceiro Novo, Ph.D.

2026 Edition

Edition Information

Introductory Physics for the Health and Life Sciences II is the second volume of a two-semester introductory algebra-based physics sequence, both are an adaptation of the OpenStax textbook College Physics, extensively revised to support introductory algebra-based physics courses for students in the health and life sciences. While preserving the rigorous treatment of the fundamental principles of physics, this edition places greater emphasis on biological systems, medical technologies, and healthcare applications.

Throughout the text, traditional examples have been expanded or replaced with applications drawn from medicine, physiology, biomedical engineering, and the life sciences. Updated scientific data, modern SI terminology, improved figures, enhanced accessibility, and current pedagogical practices have been incorporated to create a resource that reflects both contemporary physics and the needs of today’s students.

This textbook is intended for students preparing for careers in medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, biomedical sciences, public health, kinesiology, medical imaging, and related disciplines. Mathematical development is limited to algebra and basic trigonometry, allowing students to focus on developing a strong conceptual understanding while building the quantitative problem-solving skills essential for scientific and healthcare professions.

As an open educational resource, this textbook may be freely used, shared, and adapted under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. We hope that instructors will continue to improve and expand this resource so that it remains accurate, accessible, and relevant for future generations of students.

To the Student

Welcome to Introductory Physics for the Health and Life Sciences II. Whether your goal is to become a physician, nurse, pharmacist, veterinarian, dentist, physical therapist, biomedical scientist, or another healthcare professional, physics provides the foundation for understanding many of the technologies and biological processes you will encounter throughout your career.

Electricity governs the transmission of nerve impulses and the electrical activity of the heart. Magnetism makes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) possible. Electromagnetic waves enable medical imaging, wireless communication, and optical instruments. Quantum physics explains the behavior of atoms and molecules, while nuclear physics underlies positron emission tomography (PET), radiation therapy, and many modern diagnostic techniques. Physics is therefore much more than a collection of equations—it is the language that describes how the natural world works.

Learning physics requires more than memorizing formulas. Success comes from developing an understanding of the underlying concepts and learning how to apply them to solve unfamiliar problems. Throughout this textbook, mathematical derivations are presented only after the physical ideas have been carefully developed, allowing you to build intuition before applying quantitative methods.

Do not be discouraged if a topic seems difficult at first. Physics is learned through practice. Read each section carefully, study the worked examples, attempt the conceptual questions before looking at the solutions, and solve as many practice problems as possible. With persistence, the mathematical tools and physical reasoning introduced in this book will become increasingly natural.

How to Use This Book

This textbook is organized to support both classroom instruction and independent study. Each chapter follows a consistent structure designed to help you build knowledge progressively and reinforce important concepts.

• Learning Objectives introduce the knowledge and skills you should master after completing each section.
• Worked Examples demonstrate systematic approaches to solving quantitative problems while emphasizing the underlying physical principles.
• Healthcare Connections highlight how physics is applied in medicine, biology, biomedical engineering, and the life sciences.
• Conceptual Questions encourage you to explain physical phenomena using reasoning rather than memorization.
• Problems and Exercises provide opportunities to develop analytical and problem-solving skills across a range of difficulty levels.
• Section Summaries review the most important concepts, equations, and relationships introduced in each chapter.
• Glossaries define the key scientific terms used throughout the text and provide a convenient reference for review.

Although this volume is intended to follow a first-semester introductory physics course covering mechanics, fluids, thermodynamics, and waves, each chapter has been written to be as self-contained as possible. Students are encouraged to review earlier concepts whenever connections between topics arise.

Physics is best learned actively. Read with pencil and paper nearby, sketch diagrams whenever appropriate, check the units in every calculation, and always ask whether your final answer is physically reasonable. Developing these habits will strengthen both your understanding of physics and your ability to apply scientific reasoning in future coursework and professional practice.

Features of This Textbook

Introductory Physics for the Health and Life Sciences II has been designed to support active learning and help students develop both conceptual understanding and quantitative problem-solving skills. Each chapter incorporates a consistent set of pedagogical features intended to guide students from fundamental principles to real-world applications.

Learning Objectives

Each section begins with clearly stated learning objectives that identify the concepts and skills students should master before moving to the next topic.

Worked Examples

Worked examples demonstrate systematic approaches to solving physics problems. Each example emphasizes physical reasoning, identifies the governing principles, develops a solution step by step, and concludes with a discussion of the result.

Healthcare Connections

Special feature boxes throughout the book illustrate how physics underlies modern medicine and the life sciences. Topics include medical imaging, radiation therapy, electrophysiology, biomechanics, blood flow, vision, hearing, medical instrumentation, and other technologies encountered in healthcare.

Conceptual Questions

Conceptual questions encourage students to explain physical phenomena using scientific reasoning rather than relying solely on mathematical calculations.

Problems and Exercises

Each chapter concludes with a carefully selected set of problems that reinforce both conceptual understanding and quantitative skills. Problems vary in difficulty and include practical situations drawn from everyday life, biology, medicine, and engineering.

Chapter Summaries and Glossaries

Each chapter concludes with a summary of the principal concepts and equations introduced throughout the chapter, followed by a glossary defining the most important scientific terms.

Interactive Simulations

Where appropriate, links to interactive PhET simulations allow students to visualize physical phenomena, explore parameter changes, and reinforce concepts through guided experimentation.

Acknowledgements

This textbook is based on College Physics, originally developed by OpenStax and authored by Paul Peter Urone, Roger Hinrichs, Kim Dirks, and Manjula Sharma. Their work has made high-quality physics education freely available to millions of students worldwide and serves as the foundation for this adapted edition.

This edition has been extensively revised and adapted by Saúl Beceiro Novo for introductory algebra-based physics courses in the health and life sciences. The adaptation includes updated scientific data, modern SI terminology, revised figures and illustrations, expanded healthcare applications, improved accessibility, and numerous pedagogical enhancements while preserving the rigorous treatment of the underlying physics.

The development of this adaptation was made possible through the generous support of the Michigan State University Open Educational Resources (OER) Program, whose commitment to expanding access to high-quality, affordable educational materials provided the funding necessary to undertake this project. Their support has helped create a resource that is freely available to students and instructors around the world.

Finally, I would like to thank the many educators, students, reviewers, and members of the open education community whose feedback, ideas, and dedication continue to improve open educational resources and make high-quality science education more accessible to everyone.

License

Introductory Physics for the Health and Life Sciences II is adapted from College Physics by OpenStax, which is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License.

This adapted edition is also distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License. You are free to copy, redistribute, adapt, and build upon this work for any purpose, provided appropriate credit is given to the original authors and to this adapted edition.

For the complete license terms and a plain-language summary of your rights and responsibilities, visit the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License webpage.