FISICA MEDICA G - O

Lectures and applied examples are provided on specific physics topics relevant to pharmacy, biology, and medicine. The knowledge provided will equip students to tackle the more specific courses in the curriculum; particular emphasis is placed on the contribution of physics to the biomedical applications covered in the program. Upon completion of the course, students will have learned the fundamentals of the experimental method and the basic laws of physics, and will have had the opportunity to explore various applications of these laws in fields related to the program. Formal accuracy in the presentation of the topics covered is given particular consideration, in light of the mathematical knowledge acquired in previous courses.

The following educational objectives are pursued:

- to increase knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of physics

- to develop applied skills related to methodological and instrumental procedures also useful for biological research

- to stimulate logical-deductive reasoning

Frontal lessons accompanied by numerical exercises and simple laboratory experiments in the classroom

INTRODUCTION (2h). Physical quantities. Units of measurement. Significant digits. Measurement error. Scalar quantities and vector quantities. Operations with vectors. Components of a vector.

MECHANICS (8h). One-dimensional motions. Motions of plans. Tangential and radial acceleration in a plane motion. Laws of dynamics. Examples of forces. Moment of a force. Vector product. Barycentre. Equilibrium conditions. Levers. Static and dynamic friction. Dynamics of circular motion. Centrifugal force. Statics of joints. Examples of physiological levers. Hooke's law and Young's modulus. Fractures. Work. Kinetic energy theorem. Conservative and non-conservative forces. Potential energy. Conservation of total mechanical energy. Momentum.

FLUID MECHANICS (8h). Density and pressure in fluids. Stevin's law. Pascal's principle. Archimedes' principle and buoyancy of bodies. Reach. Continuity equation. Bernoulli's theorem. Viscous fluids. Motion in laminar regime. Poiseuille's law. Motorcycle in turbulent regime. Stokes' law. Viscous drag. Centrifuging. Cohesion. Surface tension. Laplace's law. Application of the continuity equation to the hydrodynamic circuit of blood. Blood viscosity. Work and heart power. Pressure changes in the blood circuit. Aneurysm and stenosis. Sphygmomanometer. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, centrifugation.

THERMODYNAMICS (8h). Thermometers and temperature scales, thermal expansion of solids and liquids. Ideal gases. Elements of kinetic theory of gases. Warmth and work. Specific heat. Latent heat and phase changes. Heat conduction. Convection. Radiation. Internal energy. First law of thermodynamics. Thermoregulation. Metabolism. Second Law of Thermodynamics (outline).

ELECTROMAGNETISM (8h). Charge. Coulomb's law. Electric field. Field of an electric dipole. Uniform electric field. Electric potential. Capacity. Capacitors. Effect of dielectrics. Electric current. Ohm's law. Power dissipation and Joule effect. Resistors in series and in parallel. RC circuit and pacemaker. Magnetic fields. Force acting on a charge. Faraday's law. Defibrillator. Effects of current.

WAVES AND OPTICS (8h). Wave phenomena. Waves. Ultrasound and applications. Spectrum of electromagnetic waves. Light reflection. Refraction of light. Snell's law. Light scattering. Total internal reflection. Optical fibers and medical applications. Image formations from mirrors and lenses. Optical microscope. Biophysics of the human eye and visual impairments.

3) R.A. Serway, J.W. Jewett, Principles of Physics, Brooks/Cole

You may also contact the Department's CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or Learning Disabilities) contact teacher, Prof. Santina Chiechio.