Science in Nursing and Health Care

Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Preface
Guided tour
Publisher’s acknowledgements
1 Expressing numbers and SI units
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	Expressing numbers
	Scientific notation
	Numerical prefixes
	SI units
	Summary
2 Homeostasis: keeping the body in balance
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	The internal environment
	Homeostasis
	Homeostatic control mechanisms
	Nursing care and homeostasis
	Summary
3 The physical world and basic chemistry
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	States of matter
	Atoms and elements
	The Periodic Table
	Compounds
	The structure of the atom
	Chemical bonds
	Structural formulae
	Molecular mass
	The mole
	Chemical reactions
	The carbon atom and organic chemistry
	Summary
	Self-test questions
4 Water, electrolytes and body fluids
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	Water
	Cohesion and adhesion
	Aqueous mixtures
	Electrolytes and non-electrolytes
	The concept of concentration
	Diffusion and osmosis
	Filtration
	The distribution of water within the body
	Specialised body fluids
	The regulation of fluid balance within the body
	Specific gravity
	Dialysis
	Summary
	Self-test questions
	Further study/exercises
5 Acids, bases and pH balance
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	Acids
	Bases
	Properties of acids and bases
	Measuring acidity
	Salts as acids and bases
	Acid–base balance
	Acid–base imbalance
	Summary
	Self-test questions
	Further study/exercises
6 Pressure, fluids, gases and breathing
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	Atmospheric pressure
	Pressure in static liquids
	Blood flow
	Gases and breathing
	Gases in solution and their movement
	Oxygen therapy
	Summary
	Self-test questions
	Further study/exercises
7 Biological molecules and food
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	Diet and food
	Carbohydrates
	Proteins
	Lipids
	Vitamins
	Minerals
	Fibre (roughage/non-starch polysaccharide)
	Summary
	Self-test questions
	Further study/exercises
8 Energy in the body
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	The conservation of energy
	Units of energy
	The ATP molecule
	The energy-liberating reactions of cells
	Overview of carbohydrate catabolism
	Fat catabolism
	Protein catabolism
	Basal metabolic rate
	Summary
	Self-test questions
	Further study/exercises
9 Heat and body temperature
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	Heat and temperature
	Latent heat and changes in state
	Temperature scales
	Temperature-measurement devices
	Body temperature
	Cyclical variations in body temperature
	The transmission of heat
	Temperature homeostasis
	Thermoregulation abnormalities
	Other uses of heat and cold
	Summary
	Self-test questions
	Further study/exercises
10 Force, mechanics and biomechanics
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	Speed and velocity
	Acceleration
	Mass and weight
	Momentum
	Force
	Newton’s laws of motion
	The force of gravity
	Stability
	Levers
	Pulleys
	Vectors
	Summary
	Self-test questions
	Further study/exercises
11 Electricity, magnetism and medical equipment
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	Magnetism
	Electricity
	Current flow
	Electrocution
	Electricity in the body
	Important items of medical equipment
	Summary
	Self-test questions
	Further study/exercises
12 Light and vision
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	Transverse waves
	The electromagnetic spectrum
	The properties of light
	Lenses
	How do we see?
	Optical instruments
	Ultraviolet radiation
	Summary
	Self-test questions
	Further study/exercises
13 Sound and hearing
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	Sound
	Ultrasound and the piezoelectric effect
	The Doppler effect
	Summary
	Self-test questions
	Further study/exercises
14 Radiation in diagnosis and treatment
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	The nature of ionising radiation
	Radioactivity and radioactive decay
	The concept of half-life
	The effects of ionising radiation
	The measurement of radiation
	Summary
	Self-test questions
	Further study/exercises
15 Genetics in health and illness
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	The nucleus of the cell
	DNA: the genetic code
	DNA replication
	Mitosis and the cell cycle
	Meiosis
	Protein synthesis
	Genetic inheritance
	Genetic disease
	Summary
	Self-test questions
	Further study/exercises
16 Microbiology
	Learning outcomes
	Introduction
	Naming microorganisms
	Bacteria
	Viruses
	Fungi
	Protozoa
	Host–microorganism relationships
	The response to infection
	Virulence
	Sources of infection
	Microbiology samples
	Microbiological tests
	The microbiology laboratory
	Cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation
	Treating infections
	Summary
	Self-test questions
	Further study/exercises
Answers to self-test questions
Appendix: The Periodic Table
Glossary
Index