Introduction to Health Physics: Fourth Edition [Paperback]

Herman Cember (Author), Thomas Johnson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0071423087 | ISBN-13: 978-0071423083 | Publication Date: July 25, 2008 | Edition: 4

A dynamic, all-inclusive overview of the field of health physics

A Doody's Core Title for 2011!

If it's an important topic in the field of health physics, you'll find it in this trusted text . . . in sections on physical principles, atomic and nuclear structure, radioactivity, biological effects of radiation, and instrumentation. This one-of-a-kind guide spans the entire scope of the field and offers a problem-solving approach that will serve you throughout your career.

Features:

• A thorough overview of need-to-know topics, from a review of physical principles to a useful look at the interaction of radiation with matter
• More than 380 "Homework Problems" and 175+ "Example Problems"
• Essential background material on quantitative risk assessment for radiation exposure
• Authoritative radiation safety and environmental health coverage that supports the International Commission on Radiological Protection's standards for specific populations
• High-yield appendices to expand your comprehension of chapter material
• NEW! Essential coverage of non-ionizing radiation, lasers and microwaves, computer use in dose calculation, and dose limit recommendations

(20081105)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Overall, this is a good introductory health physics book for students in health and medical physics and could be used as a study guide and reference by health and medical physicists. The fourth edition has improvements and updates over the third edition, including the addition of NCRP 147 shielding methodology and ICRP 66 respiratory tract dosimetric model, the discussion of machine sources of radiation, and a revamped chapter on non-ionizing radiation."--Doody's Review Service (Doody's )

About the Author

Herman Cember, PhD, is Professor Emeritus, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

Thomas E. Johnson, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.

Product Details

• Paperback: 864 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Medical; 4 edition (July 25, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071423087
• ISBN-13: 978-0071423083
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #215,267 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE book for all Health Physicists, August 6, 2008

By 

Russel O. Dunkelberger - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Introduction to Health Physics: Fourth Edition (Paperback)

I received my copy of the fourth edition of "Introduction to Health Physics" today and took a good look at it. Chapter two and three don't have a lot of substantial changes, but it looks like the rounding errors in the previous editions have been corrected. There are more homework problems in each chapter too.

Chapter four has a new section on accelerators, with a good explanation of each type. Chapter five again appears to have multiple numerical corrections made, and more homework problems. Chapter six (Radiation dosimetry) has more homework problems, and Chapter seven (Biological basis for radiation safety) has some sections on epidemiology now.

Chapter eight (Radiation safety guides) goes through ICRP 66, with an example for particulate and gasses. The examples for ICRP 66 calculations are clear, but it is obvious that calculating a lung dose with this technique will take a lot of paper!

It looks like there are a lot of updates to Chapter nine (Instrumentation), with more examples, but the photo of the neutron detection instrument is terrible. Again, more homework problems were added. (Makes me glad I am not a student anymore!)

I was glad to see that Chapter 10 (External radiation safety) has a section on NCRP 147. There are examples there too, and in my opinion the explanations and examples are better than the NCRP 147 examples.

Chapter 11 (Internal radiation safety) finally has a decent example with radon. The previous editions did not really have any calculations or examples, so it was good to see this addition. Chapter 12 on criticality remains relatively unchanged, but chapter 13 has new examples and more homework.

Chapter 14 has been expanded significantly. There is a section on UV that finally covers the UV equations on the ABHP part two equation sheet, and there is even an example. There are more laser and RF examples too.

Overall, it looks like the minor calculation errors that I have found in the past are corrected, lots of examples added, and as a sad note to students: there are a LOT more homework problems. If you are a practicing HP, or planning to take the CHP exam, you should get this book.

This book will not be on your shelf, you will be using it!

39 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars New edition marred by typos and awkward editing, October 31, 1998

By 

Glenn A. Carlson, P.E. (St. Charles, Missouri, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Introduction to Health Physics (Paperback)

This new edition of the classic text is a disappointment, and it's use as a textbook is not recommended.

For this 3d edition, the list of typographical errors compiled by colleagues and myself stands at four pages and growing. Errors can be found in the text, the chapter problems, and their solutions. Other solutions which are not clearly wrong may inexplicably differ from your own solution at the second significant digit.

Formulae are rarely derived from first principles. One exception is the change in wavelength for a photon undergoing Compton scattering from an electron, but, even here, a crucial equation (the relativistic energy invariant) is conspicuously omitted, without which the final equation cannot be derived. The text does not even mention relativity in discussing Compton scattering. (The index does reference "Relatively effects" (sic) at pp. 4-11.)

Equations and formulae contain, at times, an unnecessary proliferation of multiplication signs and units which obscures the underlying physical principles and the simplicity of the equations themselves. Students are better served by a clear mathematical presentation of the underlying physics, rather than being dropped into the middle of an obscure equation made even more so by the inclusion of several constants whose only purpose is to make the units work out. While any text on this subject must deal with the unavoidability of old and new units, my suggestion is to derive the formulae from first principles and deal with the units issue (which, after all, only amounts to including appropriate conversion factors) separately as examples or chapter problems.

Finally, the multiplication sign, "x", should be reserved for arithmetic and scientific notation, not symbolic mathematical equations. See, e.g., Equations (3.10), (4.31), (10.17), (10.32), etc., as examples where the multiplication sign is unnecessary. The text also uses the multiplication sign even where numerical values are already set off by parentheses. The text's overuse of the multiplication sign gives the text a grade-schoolish flavor.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A new and improved version of a classic textbook!, August 28, 2008

By 

David Bisson (Laurel, MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Introduction to Health Physics: Fourth Edition (Paperback)

I studied the 2nd edition of this text as a student and the 3rd edition preparing for both the CHP part I and II. I've recently read through this latest edition and am very encouraged by the updates that have been made. I highly recommend this book for new health physics students, HPs preparing for the CHP exam and anyone with an interest in learning about the field of Health Physics. You won't find another book that covers the full breadth of the field like this one. This 4th edition is a must-have for any serious HP's bookshelf!
-David Bisson, CHP