Biophysics

Code:

MT118

Acronym:

BIOFIS

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Medicine

Instance: 2004/2005 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Molecular Biology
Course/CS Responsible:	Medicine

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MED	161	Plano oficial a partir de 2003	1	4		-

Objectives

To enable the students:

1. To understand and use basic principles of classical and modern physics that are relevant to biology.


2. To be familiar with examples taken from the life sciences that illustrate how these basic principles are applied.


3. To recognize the clarity and simplicity of many biophysical descriptions of a multitude of mechanisms that are key to our understanding of physical chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology and physiology.
4. To acquire the tools and to develop the competences needed to solve simple problems that are frequently multidisciplinary in nature.


In order to accomplish these goals, a joint effort is being undertaken by the teachers of Biophysics, Biological Chemistry and Quantitative Methods to achieve significant integration of these subjects.

Program

Energy
1. Our planet's sustainability. 2. Food and mechanisms of energy conversion (photosynthesis, glycolisis, oxidative phosphorilarion, mechanical work within cells). 3. Biological scales.
Nuclear Structure
1. Radioactivity and radiations. 2. Biological effects and mechanisms. 3. Biological applications (diagnostics, therapy, image acquisition). 4. Elementary particles.
Fluids
1. Laws of: continuity, Bernoulli, Poiseuille and Stokes. 2. Surface tension. 3. Biological applications (blood circulation, flying, respiration).
Electricity
1. Concept of field and potential. 2. R-C circuits . 3. The nerve axon - structure and function. 4. Membrane transport. 5. Electrophoresis.
Magnetism
1. Concept of field. 2. Magnetic force and energy. 3. Magnetic resonance. 4. Laws of: Biot-Savart, Faraday and Lenz. 5. Measurement of q/m and q. 6. Mass spectrometry. 7. The ciclotron. 8. Biological applications (diagnostics and image acquisition).
Special Theory of Relativity
1. Time dilatation and length contraction. 2. Relativistic momentum and energy. 3. Practical consequences.

Main Bibliography

Kane, J. W. & Sternheim, M. M. (1988) Physics, 3rd Edn., New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Nelson, D. L. & Cox, M. M. (2000) Lenhinger Principles of Biochemistry, 3rd Edn., New York: Worth Publishers.

Complementary Bibliography

Halliday, D., Resnick, R. & Walker, J. (2001) Fundamentals of Physics, 6th Edn., New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Teaching methods and learning activities

Through formal lectures and problem solving discussions.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Calculation formula of final grade

For those who have chosen to be evaluated though a single final exam, their grade will be the grade obtained in this exam.
For those who have chosen to be evaluated via two parcial exams their grade will be the average of these two exams.