Physics
Code: 100908 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2500252 Biochemistry | FB | 1 | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Vicente Ortega Cejas
- Email:
- Vicente.Ortega@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- Yes
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Prerequisites
The student should be familiar with basic Physics knowledge, especially the topics related to forces or energies. These topics are covered in the secondary school courses If the student has never studied them it would be good to do the propedéutic course of Physics for Biosciences. it is also recommended at least to read a secondary grade textbook including them. Physical concepts like electromagnetic fields and waves, although important, are not required because they are introduced again during the course.
Objectives and Contextualisation
Because of its fundamental nature, knowledge in physics is very often a necessary tool for the correct understanding of the phenomena described in other sciences. In the specific case of Biotechemistry, for example, to correctly understand the dynamics of chemical reactions within cells, it is completely indispensable to know the physics of diffusion, the field and electrical current or thermodynamics. Without this knowledge a misunderstanding of the biochemistry of the cell is possible.
On the other hand, Physics is required to understand some of the experimental methods that biochemists use daily. In our case, for example, radioactive or fluoescent marking of molecules, centrifugation or magnetic resonance are examples of methods that are clearly based on fundamental physical principles.
The objective of this subject will be the introductory study of all the necessary physical concepts for both, modeling and experimental design in Biochemistry.
Some of the topics will be the starting point of other courses such as Thermodynamics, Bioenergetics and other topics will be fundamental for the practices included in Integrated Laboratories.
Competences
- Be able to self-evaluate.
- Interpret experimental results and identify consistent and inconsistent elements.
- Understand the language and proposals of other specialists.
- Use the basics of mathematics, physics and chemistry that are required to understand, develop and evaluate the chemical procedures of living matter.
Learning Outcomes
- Be able to self-evaluate.
- Define the emission of electromagnetic radiation.
- Describe the atomic and nuclear structure of matter.
- Describe the physical properties of a macroscopic system.
- Describe the properties of muscle fibres and body fluids in terms of physics.
- Enumerate the basic principles of mechanics apply them to biological systems.
- Estimate the biological damage produced by radiation.
- Explain the different processes by which atomic nuclei emit radiation and the principal characteristics of the interaction between radiation and matter.
- Identify the principles of thermodynamics.
- Interpret experimental results and identify consistent and inconsistent elements.
- Relate the basic mechanisms of electric currents and relate them to nerve impulses.
- Understand the language and proposals of other specialists.
Content
1 Introduction to the physical characteristics of the molecules
Electrical charge, dipole: polar and non-polar amino acids
Magnetic properties, magnetic resonance
Interaction forces and links between atoms
Energy of interaction
Structure: DNA, proteins, sugars, lipids
2 Basic concepts in kinematics and dynamics.
Speed, acceleration, angular acceleration, centripetal and centrifugal acceleration.
Newton's law: relationship between strength and acceleration
Hooke's Law. Optical tweezers
3 Transport of molecules in fluids
Viscosity; sedimentation
Centrifugation; separation of macromolecules
Diffusion; Fick's law; brownian motion
4 Energy
Kinetic energy, potential energy, work-energy theorem
Conservation of energy
Intramolecular energy; molecular machines
Internal energy, temperature
Dissipation of energy. Entropy Implication in molecular dynamics and chemical reactions
5 Oscillations
Elasticity; Harmonic oscillator, damped oscillations
Oscillations typical of molecules; energy absorption; resonance
H2O oscillations and warming with microwave; CO2 oscillations and greenhouse effect
Macromolecular experiments: stretching of DNA and proteins
6 Electricity
Coulomb Law; forces between charges; atoms; molecules; electrostatic contribution to the energy of the ATP
Dipoles; polar molecules; hydrogen bridges
Electrophoresis
<palign="LEFT">Membrane potential
Ion pumps; ATP-handle and oxidative phosphorylation
7 Magnetism
Magnetic forces; forces in a magnetic field; mass spectrometry
Magnetic dipole
Nuclear magnetic resonance: applications to chemistry, to molecular structure; to medical images
8 Physical optics
Wave nature of light; electromagnetic waves
Interference and diffraction
Diffraction of light in crystals and molecules; molecular structure
Synchrotron radiation
9 Some ideas of quantum physics
Einstein-Planck and de Broglie equations
Quantification of energy levels: particle in a box
Bohr's atomic model; Absorption and emission spectra. Fluorescence
Some ideas of nuclear physics
Radioactivity
*Unless the requirements enforced by the health authorities demand a prioritization or reduction of these contents.
Methodology
The subject will be given alternating different types of methodologies:
- Master classes where the general concepts of the different topics will be introduced
- Solving problems where the teachers will solve the exercises previously selected in previous days
- Practices where questions will be proposed where Physics is related to biosciences and where the student will have to solve certain questions in a group
- Resolution of autocorrection questionnaires through a computer using the Moodle platform
- Reading of didactic material in biosciences where physical concepts are applicable
- Experimental practices at home.
*The proposed teaching methodology may experience some modifications depending on the restrictions to face-to-face activities enforced by health authorities.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Problem solving classes | 12 | 0.48 | |
| Theory classes | 29 | 1.16 | |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Practices | 5 | 0.2 | |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Experimental work at home | 5 | 0.2 | |
| Homework | 35 | 1.4 | |
| Reading of educational material | 10 | 0.4 | |
| Resolution of computer assisted questionaries | 20 | 0.8 |
Assessment
Ordinary assessment:
The assessemnt consists of two partial tests and a set of online practices. The weight of each partial test will be around 40% each. These weights may vary a bit depending on the number of topics contained in each one. The rest of the note (20%) will come out of the marks obtained in the practices carried out during the course. The student must obtain a grade higher than 3.5 in the partial tests so that he can perform the average with the practices. In case this grade is not obtained, the final grade will not be approved even if the total average is greater than 5.
Recovery assessment:
At the end of the semester there will be a second exam for each of the partial tests. This will be for all those students who have not passed the ordinary tests or who want to improve their grades. If a student presents to one of these recovery tests, he will renounce the qualification obtained in the test of the ordinary part. The final grade will be calculated as in the ordinary evaluation with the recovery grades replacing the previous ones. To participate in the second exam, students must have been previously evaluated in a set of activities whose weight is at least 2/3 of the subject. The students will obtain a grade of "Not evaluated" when the evaluation activities carried out have a weight of less than 67% in the final grade.
*Student’s assessment may experience some modifications depending on the restrictions to face-to-face activities enforced by health authorities.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer assisted practices | 20% | 30 | 1.2 | 12, 10, 1 |
| Exams | 80% | 4 | 0.16 | 2, 5, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 |
Bibliography
Basic bibliography
-
Jou, D, Llebot, J.E. y Pérez Garcia, C. Física para ciencias de la vida. Mc Graw-Hill.
Further reading
-
Kane, J.W. y Sternheim, M.M. Física. Ed. Reverté.
- Tipler, P.A. y Mosca, G. Física para la ciencia y la tecnología. Ed. Reverté