00405 - Physics

Learning outcomes

Aim of the course is to provide the basic concepts of Classical Physics together with an outline of few topics of Modern Physics in the field of interest of Life Science.

Course contents

Units, standards and the SI System. Dimensional analysis. Measurement and uncertainty; significant figures.

Kinematics. Reference frame and displacement. Motion at constant velocity. Motion at constant acceleration. Vectors and scalars. Projectile motion. Uniform circular motion.

Relative motion. Inertial frames. Principles of dynamics. Weight and gravity acceleration. Gravitation law.

Force of friction.

Work, kinetic energy and the work-energy principle. Conservative and nonconservative forces. Potential energy. Elastic force. Mechanical energy and its conservation. Momentum and its conservation. Elastic and inelastic collisions.

Center of mass. Moment of inertia. Torque.

Fluids. Ideal fluids. Pressure and density. Pascal's principle. Archimedes' principle. Flow rate and the equation of continuity. Bernoulli's theorem. Real fluids. Viscosity. Law of sedimentation. Centrifuge.

Wave motion. Interference. Huygens' principle and diffraction. X-ray diffraction and biological molecules structure. The wave nature of light. Young's double-slit experiment. Reflection. Refraction. Snell' law. Total reflection. The visible spectrum and dispersion.

Electrostatic. Electric charge. Insulators and conductors. Coulomb's law. The electric field. Field lines. Electric potential energy. Dipole moment. Dipole in a uniform electric field. Capacitance. Dielectrics.

Electric current. Ohm's law. Resistors in series and in parallel. Kirchhoff's rules. Circuits containing capacitors in series and in parallel.

Electromagnetism. Magnets and magnetic fields. Electric currents produce magnetic fields. Lorentz's force. Force between two parallel wires. Electromagnetic induction. Faraday's law of induction. Lenz's law. Electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic spectrum.

Geometric optics. Mirrors. Lenses. The eye: least distance of distinct vision and visual acuity.  Magnification. Magnification lens. Optic microscope.

 

Readings/Bibliography

D.C. GIANCOLI – FISICA: Principi e Applicazioni - Seconda Edizione. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana

D. HALLIDAY, R. RESNICK, J. WALKER, Fondamenti di Fisica, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
Esercizi di Fisica
G. RUFFO, Problemi di Fisica, Vol. 1 e 3, ZANICHELLI, Bologna.

Teaching methods

Lectures

Assessment methods

Written and oral examinations

Office hours

See the website of Gabriella Sartorelli