Contents 





CHAPTER 1 THE MATHEMATICAL TREATMENT OF DATA 



Introduction 1 



Measurements and their variation 1 



The asymmetrical distribution 8 



Computation of errors in compound quantities .... 10 



Applications of statistical analysis 12 



1. The ratio of a given deviation to the standard deviation 13 



2. The ratio of one variance to another variance ... 13 



3. The chi-squared test 16 



Treatment of experimental data 20 



1. Data-fitting using the least-squares principle ... 20 



2. Correlation 22 



CHAPTER 2 PHYSICAL FORCES AND CHEMICAL BONDS 



Introduction 25 



Physical forces 25 



Chemical bonds 27 



Molecules in solution 33 



Bonds and energy exchange 35 



Energy and biological processes 37 



CHAPTER 3 PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF VISION 



Sensitivity of the eye 39 



Structure of the retina 44 



CHAPTER 4 PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF HEARING 



Introduction 46 



Models for specific nerves for specific frequencies .... 47 



CHAPTER 5 LIGHT ABSORPTION EFFECTS 



Introduction . 52 



1. Light absorption 55 



2. Birefringence 58 



3. Dichroism 60 



4. Action spectra 61 



CHAPTER 6 PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF MUSCLE 



Introduction 66 



1. The over-all action 66 



2. Muscle structure 71 



V 



