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  3. PhD Programme in Radiation Biology and Biophysics
  4. Specialization in Physical Biochemistry
  5. Physics for Life Sciences

Physics for Life Sciences

Objectives

  • Accurately describe concepts, fundamental laws and phenomena in the field of Physics
  • Perform documental research processes and oriented studies for planning and procedure employment
  • Plan, develop and implement procedures leading to experimental goals
  • Apply Physics knowledge in modelling of phenomena, processes and mechanisms related with life sciences
  • Solve issues in the fields of Physics applied to Life Sciences, by measuring or determining quantities, performing calculations or estimations using expressions
  • Prepare and present reports and descriptive texts with accuracy, clarity and succinctness, from the point of view of Physics applied to processes and phenomena related to life sciences

General characterization

Code

11263

Credits

6.0

Responsible teacher

Paulo Manuel Assis Loureiro Limão Vieira

Hours

Weekly - Available soon

Total - 48

Teaching language

Inglês

Prerequisites

not applicable

Bibliography

  • Physics for The Life Sciences by Martin Zinke-Allmang, Ken Sills, Reza Nejat and Eduardo Galiano-Riveros, 2013.
  • Introduction to Biological Physics for the Health and Life Sciences, Kirsten Franklin, Paul Muir, Terry Scott, Lara Wilcocks, Paul Yates, 2010.
  • Physics of the Human Body, Irving Herman, Springer 2007.
  • Nanotechnology in Life Science by B.K. Parthasarathy, Isha Books 2007.
  • Scientific papers related to the modeling of physics phenomena related to life sciences

Teaching method

 

The teaching-learning process includes classroom and E.Learning moments as follows. Classroom of 2 hours, supported by presentations in video projector, simulations and demonstrations. The contents of the classes are organized into Learning Units (UA), available in E.Learning platform. Each one of these UAs has associated to an online self-assessment lesson. Each student will have to perform a presentation in an indicated program subject. Experimental sessions are in laboratory sessions of 2 hours in which students have to conceive all the experimental activities, by establishing procedures and experimental mounts. A final report for each activity is required. Continuous assessment includes both experimental activities reports and presentations. The final mark will be the average of these two components.

Evaluation method

 Evaluation Methods 

The teaching-learning process includes classroom, E.Learning and experimental activities moments. Classes of 2 hours are supported by presentations in video projector, simulations, demonstrations and Seminars (S). The contents of the classes are organized into Learning Units (LU), available in E.Learning platform. Experimental Activities (EA) are laboratory sessions of 2 hours in which students have to conceive all the experimental activities, by establishing procedures and experimental mounts. A final report for each activity is required. Continuous assessment includes both experimental activities reports and presentations. A final acessment benchmark  test will be carried out covering all The final marks will be calculated as follows:

 

 

  • Experimental Activities (EA)

The final mark corresponding to NEA experimental activities performed will be

  EA=1/NEA(EA1+EA2+...EAN)

  • Final Test

 

 

  • Final Mark

The final Mark will be given by the formula

FM=0,6xEA+0,4xT

 Approval will be under the condition FM>=10 

  • Scales and Rounding

All the numerical ratings are given on a scale of 0 to 20, with the intermediate marks being rounded to one decimal and the final mark round to units.

  • Exclusion

For no to be excluded the students has to perform all scheduledExperimental and Online Activities and Online; OSAL and EA respectively

Subject matter

Mechanics: kinematics, dynamics, biomechanics, kinesiology, mechanical sensors and transducers

Energy and transport phenomena: energy conservation, work and energy, thermodynamics, energy and mass transport, surface tension, respiratory and circulatory systems, metabolic processes; pressure, temperature and flow sensors and transducers

Vibration and Hearing: elasticity, vibration, reflection, transmission and absorption of sound, the ear, hearing, audiograms, ultrasound, vibration, sound sensors and transducers

Electromagnetism: electromagnetic interaction, electromagnetic waves, the nervous system, electrocardiography

Optics: Nature of Light; physics and physiology of colour, geometrical optics, optometry, wave optics, the eye and the vision, radiometry, photometry, instruments, optical sensors and transducers

Nanophysics: Tunnel effect, electronic pumping, physics of nanosystems, scanning probe microscopies