Physics in medicine, as in any other science, plays an important role. In this article we will look at many examples of how this science affects the health and life of people. We will immediately agree that we will not go into complicated scientific and technical details so as not to mislead anyone. We proceed to consider the examples.
What is your temperature, pulse and pressure
Medicine cannot do without three important parameters, which are the basis for assessing human health: temperature, pressure, and often also a pulse.
As you know, the temperature is measured with a thermometer (in common people called a "thermometer"). And what indicators should be? The norm for a person is T = 36.6 ° C. Undoubtedly, for example, 36.3 ° C and 36.8 ° C are permissible. But if the body temperature is higher than 36.9 ° C, then we can safely say that the person is unwell.
What is the role of physics in medicine? Those who studied from the 7th to the 11th (or at least the 9th) grade, they are well aware that temperature is a physical quantity. It is measured in several units. But in Russia it is customary to measure in Celsius. Thermometers are mercury, electronic (with a special sensor).
Pressure is also an important parameter, but there are nuances. Not for everyone, a pressure of 120 to 80 is beneficial. Someone has a working pressure of 110 to 70, which is also the norm. It is measured using a tonometer (cuff, bulb for pumping air, pressure gauge). There are electronic, computer tonometers. As a rule, modern technology simultaneously measures pressure and pulse. As for pressure units , there are several of them in physics. In medicine, pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). The pulse is easier to measure independently and more reliably, since you need to calculate how many beats per minute have taken place.
Diagnostic equipment
The use of physics in medicine is a necessity in the modern world. Not one, even the poorest medical facility, can do without diagnostic equipment. Everywhere there are the most popular of them:
- radiographic;
- electrocardiographs.
No less popular are ultrasound machines, gastroscopes, ophthalmological equipment.
Of course, to create these or other devices, many scientists need to unite together. It takes more than one year to create suitable equipment. Necessarily the technique must interact with a living organism, without causing harm. Unfortunately, not every device is capable of this, therefore, doctors recommend strictly observing the dose, the time of the examination or therapy.
Miracle Research: Ultrasound
The school program of physics includes the section “Oscillations and waves” - the topic “Sound”. There are three types: infrasound (from 16 to 20 Hertz), sound (from 21 to 19,999 Hertz), ultrasound (from 20,000 Hertz and above). What is a hertz? This is the frequency of oscillations occurring in just one second. It is a sound wave that penetrates from one medium to another with a certain frequency. The role of physics in the development of medicine in this case is as follows: biophysicists, designers have invented and continue to invent powerful devices for studying internal organs.
Today, ultrasound diagnostics is one of the fastest, painless and safe methods of research. But there is a drawback: only the internal organs of the abdominal cavity, small pelvis, kidneys, and thyroid can be examined. To find out if there is a bone fracture or what happens to a sore eye or tooth will fail.
Magnetic resonance and computed tomography
Another miracle of modern medical technology is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Such an examination gives a clearer picture of what is happening in a particular organ. You can immediately say that MRI in its way is a replacement for ultrasound. Why? As we said above, only organs of the abdominal cavity, small pelvis, and thyroid can be checked with ultrasound. The condition of the bones and blood vessels cannot be checked. This can be done by MRI. An alternative to these two methods (ultrasound and MRI) can be computed tomography (CT).
It should be borne in mind that ultrasound and CT require the use of additional drugs to ensure a high-quality examination.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy plays an important role in people's health: warming, ultraviolet radiation, electrophoresis, and so on.
What other contribution has physics made? In medicine, there are a huge number of types of equipment, devices, not only for clinics and hospitals. Currently, some factories manufacture appliances for home use. For example, inhalers of various types for the treatment of respiratory organs. This also includes ultrasonic, infrared, electromagnetic devices.
Life saving
Emergency medical care in severe conditions makes sense where there are professional resuscitators. If a person suddenly stops breathing, the heartbeat stops, then, as a rule, they try to bring him back to life. Indirect heart massage is not always convenient, but also dangerous.
Such a device, which has the name "defibrillator", will help doctors. Here is another application of physics in medicine. The creators of the device calculated what currents must pass through the human heart in order to start it. Important factors are the material, the rules for safe use. Artificial lungs ventilation (IVL) is also a merit of physics.
Physics Section: "Optics and Light"
Every second person in the modern world wears glasses or contact lenses. To choose the right diopters, you need to spend a lot of time. Optics is used in microscopes.
The significance of physics in medicine is very great even, it would seem, in a small way. Optics began to be applied several centuries ago. This is a very complex science. As you know, there are collecting and scattering lenses. And their parameters can be judged for a long time. Will an ordinary person be able to distinguish “-1.0” diopter from, for example, “-1.5”? For a patient with myopia, it is very important to choose the right glasses.
Laser vision correction, and laser surgery in general, is a very complex and serious task. Scientists are required to make the most accurate calculations in order to get a positive result, not a tragic outcome.
Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy
It is very important for cancer patients to choose the right treatment. Virtually no one chemotherapy patient bypasses. Undoubtedly, knowledge of chemistry is more required here. Nevertheless, the doctor must know whether to irradiate the patient.
Atomic and radiological physics in medicine for cancer patients can be a way of saving lives, if not only properly applied in practice, but also created very accurate equipment and instruments.
Everything for the population
Many people care about personal health, as well as the health of loved ones. The modern world is replete with various useful equipment. On sale are, for example, nitrate meters in fruits and vegetables, dosimeters, electronic blood glucose meters (blood sugar meters), electronic blood pressure monitors, home weather stations, and so on. Of course, some of the listed devices are not medical, but they help people maintain their health.
Not only instructions, but also school physics will help a person understand various instrument readings. In medicine, it has the same laws, units of measure, as in other areas of life.
How to prepare an abstract
If at a school, technical school or institute they ask to write an abstract (report) on the topic “The role of physics in medicine”, that is, there are a few tips on this:
- write a short introduction on the topic;
- develop a plan for writing the text (it is important to break everything down into logical subheadings, paragraphs);
- Let there be as many sources of literature as possible.
It’s best to write only about what you understand. It is undesirable to insert into the abstract / report something that you do not understand, for example, a very complex scientific description of how an ultrasound scan or an ECG apparatus works .
If the abstract / report was asked in physics, then take only the topic that you have already studied and understand well. For example, optics. If you are poorly versed in radiophysics, then it’s better not to write about devices for treating cancer patients.
Let the topic be interesting first of all for yourself, as well as understandable. After all, not only the teacher, but also classmates / classmates can ask additional questions.