Radiation and medical physics
What a smashing topic to teach and how better to exemplify the benefits of physics to individuals? Even if you are not teaching a medical physics unit as part of triple science, perhaps it is worth considering changing the way you teach the electromagnetic spectrum in the waves topic and approaching it from a medical physics perspective.
Whilst this list provides a source of information and ideas for experimental work, it is important to note that recommendations can date very quickly. Do NOT follow suggestions which conflict with current advice from CLEAPSS, SSERC or recent safety guides. eLibrary users are responsible for ensuring that any activity, including practical work, which they carry out is consistent with current regulations related to Health and Safety and that they carry an appropriate risk assessment. Further information is provided in our Health and Safety guidance.
Medical Physics in the Electromagnetic Spectrum
A great journey through the electromagnetic spectrum showing the use of electromagnetic waves in ways you’ve probably never heard of! The accompanying teacher notes are essential to get the most out of the presentation and it’s recommended that these are read through carefully several times before showing the presentation to students so that you can give a good commentary.
Making a Difference - Physics Careers in Medicine
Any students considering a career in healthcare or medical physics will find themselves working with an inter-disciplinary team, from engineers to surgeons, from nurses to pharmacists. This is a good video to illustrate just a few of the careers in the healthcare sector related to medical physics
Radiography Careers
A Catalyst article about careers using radiography in medical procedures. The article looks at a typical working day for a radiographer, the types of radiography used, how to become a radiographer and the qualifications available.
Physical Health: Videos
Radiograhers and other healthcare professionals explain the imaging techniques they use.
So that you can use the most relevant part of the film for the lesson content, the video is presented as a whole and also in four sections:
X-rays: how x-ray and digital images are produced by modern machines
CT scanning: using x-rays to study cross sections of body tissues
Pulse oximetry: how to measure oxygen content of blood without taking a blood sample
Ultrasound: using echoes to invesitgate what is happening inside the body
Quick Guide: Medical Applications of Physics
As its name implies this is a quick guide to MRI for teachers who may not have taught the subject before. It’s quick and easy to read so should rapidly help teachers to feel more confident. If more help is needed, there are references for further helpful websites on the back page.
More than this, there are also some helpful suggestions for activities you could carry out with students and some through provoking questions. Turning a moving magnet into an electrical signal is a good idea and demonstrates the principle behind the machine well.
Medical Physics and Radioactivity
You’ll find here a very good presentation that briefly outlines GCSE level radioactivity before explaining its use in medical diagnosis and treatment. Coupled with the also very good teacher notes, which go well beyond the presentation, this is a comprehensive set of materials which teachers will find very useful, particularly if this isn’t an area of physics they are familiar with.
Expect the Unexpected - TED-Ed
Neutrons don’t change into protons. Except, sometimes, they do. Radioactivity is the process under which the nucleus can change spontaneously from one element to another. Steve Weatherell suggests that we acknowledge both the usefulness and danger inherent in harvesting radioactivity.....
GCSE Teacher Activities
The “what’s in the box” activity described on page 16 of this resource forms a lovely introduction to ultra sound imaging, a topic in which is can be difficult to include much practical work, and follows on very nicely from the film in the resource above.
When ultrasound waves meet a boundary between different materials, some of them are reflected. Ultrasound machines measure the time between the wave being sent and returning, and use that to find the depth it was reflected from. A computer can then put together these measurements to create a picture of what is inside.
In this practical, an object is placed in a sealed box with small holes in the lid. The students should gently place a skewer in each of the holes and measure how deep it will go. This can be used to model ultrasound scanning, as students try to work out what is in the box from their measurements.
Ideally there would be several boxes prepared so that students could work in small groups and all experience the activity for themselves. It’s helpful to have a pattern of dots pre-marked on the box indicating where the skewers should be placed and this can lead on to a discussion about resolution.
Ultrasound *suitable for home teaching*
Phootball, physiotherapy and physics! Start with the animated presentation using the teacher notes which explain how a foetus can be visualised using ultrasound. The final slide links to a fun and fast moving film which recaps some key ideas about sound and then shows how ultrasound is used in sports physiotherapy. It’s a well designed and put together set of resources though. if you use it, you may want to revamp the not very exciting student worksheet.
Pulse Oximeters
Here’s a really nice application of LEDs that students, and teachers, may not be aware of. Use the presentation, along with the teacher notes to explain how pulse meter works and use the short film, just less than 4 min long, to add depth and interest. There’s also a student worksheet which teachers might like to use or adapt.