Chemical Physical Biology

Code:

Q2015

Acronym:

Q2015

Level:

200

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Chemistry

Instance: 2021/2022 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Biochemistry

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L:BQ	81	Official Study Plan	2	-	6	56	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Topics of Physical Chemistry and their applications to biological systems.
The students should acquire the notions of basic physical chemistry concepts, as well as understand their application to biology.
Introduction to colloidal systems.

Learning outcomes and competences

Knowledgement of fundamental concepts of physical chemistry enabling the understanding of biochemical /biological processes, in a thermodynamics, electrochemistry and kinetics perspectives.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. Solution Thermodynamics

1.1. Introduction

1.2. Partial molar quantities

1.3. Condition of chemical equilibrium. Condition of phase equilibrium

1.4. Ideal mixtures

1.5. Real mixtures

1.6. Ideal dilute solutions

1.7.  Real gaseous mixtures. Concept of fugacity and coefficient of fugacity

1.8. Chemical Equilibrim

1.9. Equilibrium constant and activity/fugacity

 
2. Hydrophobic effect. Formation of organized structures.

 

2.1 Notion of hydrophobic effect. Van der Waals forces and hydration. Hydrophobic vs solvophobic effect. Reflection of hydrophobic effect on the solubility in water of hydrophobic solutes. Effect of temperature.

2.2. Magnitude and sign o f thermodynamic functions associated t

hydrophobic effect. Models.

2.3. Importance of hydrophobic effect in the formation of biological structures.

2.4. Amphiphiles – structure and its consequences. 

2.5. Adsorption and aggregation: Basic principles. Classes of tensioactives and polar lipids. Type of aggregates.

2.6. Thermodynamics of micellization: pseudo-phase separation and equilibrium models. Gibbs energy of micellization. Cooperativity and aggregation number. Geometric considerations.

2.7 Surface tension – thermodynamic and mechanic definition. Effect of solutes on surface tension. Determination of cmc of a surfactant by tensiometry and conductivity.

 

 3. ELECTROLYTES. CONDUCTIVITY IN ELECTROLYTE SOLUTIONS

3.1. Nature of electrolyte solutions. Arrhenius theory

3.2. Coligative properties. Relationship between degree of ionization and van't Hoff factor

3.3. Limitations of Arrhenius theory

3.4. Activity coefficient. Mean activity coefficient of an electrolyte

3.5. Debye-Hückel theory. Qualitative aspects. Deviations to limiting Debye-Hückel law

3.6. Influence of ionic strength in the solubility of proteins.

3.7. Electrical conductivity in electrolyte solutions

3.8. Resistivity and conductivity

3.9. Measuring conductivity in electrolyte solutions

3.10. Cell constant

3.11. Temperature control

3.12. Molar conductivity

3.7. Ionic conductivity. Independent ion migration.

3.13. Applications of conductivity measurements. Acid-base conductimetric titrations.

3.14. Ionic mobility. 

 

1. ELECTROCHEMCIAL EQUILIBRIUM THROUGH MEMBRANES

4.1. Influence of ionic strength on membrane equilibrium. Membrane potential

4.2. Electrochemical potential. Electrochemical equilibrium.

4.3. ACTIVE TRANSPORT AND PASSIVE TRANSPORT. Energetics of active transport.

4.54. Donnan effect

4.5. Osmotic pressure and sodium pump.

5. ENZYME KINETICS

5.1. Introduction. Properties of enzymes

5.2. Kinetics of enzymatic reactions involving one substrate.

5.3. Michaëlis-Menten's mechanism; Lineweaver-Burk's plot

5.4. Kinetics of enzymatic reactions involving two substrates

5.5. Inhibition

Mandatory literature

Atkins Peter; Physical chemistry for the life sciences. ISBN: 0-1992-8095-9 (Oxford)
Chang Raymond; Physical chemistry for the biosciences. ISBN: 1-891389-33-5
D. Fennel Evans and Hakan Wennerström; The colloidal domain. Where physics, chemistry, biology and technology meet, 1994. ISBN: 1-56081-525-6

Comments from the literature

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Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures and tutorial classes.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	50,00
Teste	50,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	106,00
Frequência das aulas	56,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Tutorials classes are mandatory; student cannot fail more than 3 tutorial classes in order to have frequency.

The stdents having followd the UC the previous year (2020/21) can ask to be dispensed of the tutorial clases.

Calculation formula of final grade

The final grade (T) is calculated as the average of the scores obtained in tests (T1 and T2). The first evaluation component, T1, will take placeduring the semester. The exame in the first period of exam will represent component T2.

In case the student got a grade in T1 <10, or he/she want to try to get a better grade on component 1, the student may come to exam in first period also to be examinned on this part. The grade to be retainned will be in both cases the one obtainned in the exam.


The second exam period will cover all teached material.

T = score of second period exam

Final score (T) = 0.50 x T1 + 0.50 x T2

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

No special requirements.

 

Classification improvement

Final exam in second exam period for all students.