Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering Flashcards
7 cards from real BE/B Eng Bachelor of Engineering practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering flashcards as text
Which material property is most critical when selecting a polymer for a long-term implantable cardiovascular device?
Answer: Biostability and resistance to degradation in vivo
Long-term cardiovascular implants require materials that are biostable—resistant to hydrolysis, oxidation, and enzymatic degradation—to maintain mechanical integrity over years of use.
In a clinical trial for a novel medical device, what is the purpose of a 'control group'?
Answer: To provide a baseline for comparison so that the device's effect can be isolated
A control group receives a standard treatment, placebo, or sham procedure, allowing researchers to attribute observed differences in outcomes specifically to the experimental device.
A piezoelectric sensor used in an ultrasound transducer converts energy between which two domains?
Answer: Mechanical energy (pressure) and electrical energy
Piezoelectric materials generate an electrical voltage when mechanically deformed (direct effect) and deform when a voltage is applied (converse effect), enabling both transmission and reception of ultrasound waves.
What is 'hemolysis' and why is it a critical concern in the design of blood-contacting devices?
Answer: The destruction of red blood cells with release of hemoglobin, indicating device-induced blood damage
Hemolysis is the rupture of red blood cells, releasing hemoglobin into plasma; in blood-contacting devices like pumps and oxygenators, shear stress from fluid dynamics can cause this damage, impairing oxygen transport.
In the context of the Hodgkin-Huxley model, what do the variables 'm', 'h', and 'n' represent?
Answer: Activation and inactivation gating variables for Na⁺ channels and activation gating for K⁺ channels
In the Hodgkin-Huxley model, 'm' and 'h' are voltage- and time-dependent gating variables governing sodium channel activation and inactivation, respectively, while 'n' governs potassium channel activation.
Which imaging modality uses radiofrequency pulses and a strong magnetic field rather than ionizing radiation to generate images?
Answer: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
MRI uses a strong static magnetic field to align nuclear spins and radiofrequency pulses to perturb them; the signal emitted during relaxation is used to construct images without exposing the patient to ionizing radiation.
According to Darcy's Law applied to biological tissues, which parameter describes the resistance of a tissue to fluid flow?
Answer: Hydraulic conductivity
Hydraulic conductivity (or hydraulic permeability) quantifies how easily fluid passes through a porous medium like tissue under a pressure gradient; lower values indicate greater resistance to flow.