Introduction to Biophysics B

Objectives

To give an introducion to the main concepts of Physics from a Biological point of view.

General characterization

Code

11832

Credits

6.0

Responsible teacher

António Carlos Simões Paiva

Hours

Weekly - 5

Total - 68

Teaching language

Português

Prerequisites

Secondary School 11th grade Physics.

Bibliography

 

Main

- PowerPoint presentations

Supplementary Bibliography

- “General Physics with Bioscience Essays”, 2nd Ed, Jerry Marion, Wiley, 1985

- “Introdução à Biofísica” Lídia Salgueiro, J. Gomes Ferreira. Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, 1991

- https://openstax.org/details/books/college-physics

-"Physical chemistry principles and applications in biological sciences", 5th Ed, Ignacio Tinoco Jr, Pearson, 2014

Teaching method

The course works with two theoretical classes a week complemented by practical classes where problems are solved and the main concepts covered in the theoretical classes are discussed.

Evaluation method

There is continuous evaluation throughout the semester or a final exam at the end of the semester.

The continuous evaluation consists of two tests.

Subject matter

0 TERMINOLOGY AND VECTORS
1 ENERGY
1.1 Work
1.2 Potential Energy
1.3 2 Potential Energy Minimization and the Gibbs Free Energy
1.4 Conservative and Nonconservative Forces
1.5 Kinetic Energy
1.6 The Law of Energy Conservation
1.7 Heat Energy
1.7 First Law of Thermodynamics
2 ELECTRICAL INTERACTIONS
2.1 Electric Charge and Coulomb Force
2.2 Electric Field
2.3 Electrical Potential
2.4 Capacitors
2.5 Resistance and Electrical Circuits
2.6 Electrostatics in Water
3 OSCILLATIONS
3.1 Frequency and Period
3.2 Linear Restitution Forces
3.3 The Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)
3.4 Energy in the SHM
3.5 Damping
3.6 Resonance
4 MECHANICAL WAVES
4.1 Transversal and Longitudinal Waves
4.2 Progressive Waves
4.3 Energy and Intensity
4.4 Sound waves.
4.5.1 Decibel Scale
4.5.2 The Doppler Effect
4.5.3 Shockwave
4.6 Superposition and Standing Waves (SW)
4.6.1 SW on a string
4.6.3 Beats
5 MOLECULAR MECHANICS
5.1 Basic Principles
5.2 Molecular Potentials
5.3 Interactions
5.3.1 Electrostatics
5.3.2 Dipole-Dipole
5.3.3 van der Waals
5.4 Hydrogen Bonding
6 WAVE OPTICS
6.1 Interferences
6.1.1 Superposition and Interference
6.1.2 The Huygens Principle
6.2 Diffraction
7 X-RAYS AND THE MACROMOLECULAR STRUCTURE
7.1 Crystals
7.2 X-Ray Diffraction
7.2.1 Emission of X-rays
7.2.2 Diffraction by a Crystal
7.2.3 Bragg''s Law
7.3 Calculation of Atomic Coordinates
8 THE BIOPHYSICS OF FLUIDS
8.1 Static fluids
8.1.1 Pressure
8.1.2 Density
8.1.3 Pascal''s Principle
8.1.3 The Buoyant Force
8.1.4 Surface Tension
8.1.5 Capillarity
8.1.6 Surfactants
8.2 Non-viscous Dynamic Fluids
8.2.1 The Continuity Equation
8.2.2 The Bernoulli Equation
8.3 Viscous Dynamic Fluids
8.3.1 Viscosity
8.3.2 Turbulence
8.3.3 Reynolds Number
9. MOLECULAR TRANSPORT PHENOMENA
9.1 Diffusion
9.1.1 Fick''s First Law
9.1.2 Random Walk
9.1.3 Molecular Transport
9.2 Osmosis

Programs

Programs where the course is taught: