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Applied physics - C.I. (I ANNO)
FABRIZIO FIORI

Seat Medicina e Chirurgia
A.A. 2017-2018
Credits 4
Hours 40
Period 1^ semestre
Language ENG
U-gov code MU01-09-11 W000085

Prerequisites

Knowledge of basic principles of mathematics and geometry.

Development of the course

The course aims to give fundamental notions of physics, useful for the identification, understanding and interpretation of biomedical phenomena.

Learning outcomes

• Knowledge and understanding:

At the end of the course the student should be able to recognize and understand which fundamental physical principles at the basis of some of the major biological and physiological phenomena, as well as of the main physical diagnostic techniques used in medicine. 

• Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:

At the end of the course, the student should have matured, with reference to the topics covered in the program, the ability to critically understand the phenomena involved, with possible connection with various types of biological and physiological events.

• Transversal skills:

Understanding the physical events at the basis of the main biological and physiological phenomena will enable the student to develop critical skills and autonomy of judgment, which are fundamental qualities in the professional field. 

Program

Contents (frontal lectures - 4 CFUs - 40 lectures of 60 minutes or 48 lectures of 50 minutes)

Introduction: recall of some mathematical concepts, elements of vector analysis. Physical quantities, units.

Mechanics: kinematics and motion laws. Forces and laws of dynamics; inertial mass and weight. Types of forces: gravity force, elastic force; reaction forces; static friction and dynamic friction. Inertial forces. Many-particle systems, center of mass, momentum and its conservation. Work; kinetic energy. Conservative fields, potential energy and conservation of mechanical energy. Elastic and anelastic collisions. Torque; angular momentum and its conservation. Rotational Dynamics and rigid bodies; momentum of inertia. Elements of Statics, levers in human body.

Statics and Dynamics of fluids: Definition of pressure. Pascal's Principle. Hydrostatic Pressure and Stevino's Law. Pressure measurement. Archimede’s Principle. Bernoulli's law and applications: Torricelli's theorem, stenosis and aneurysm. Real fluids: viscosity, laminar motion and Poiseuille’s law; hydraulic resistance. Turbulent motion and Reynolds’ number. Viscous friction and measurement of the velocity of erythrocyte sedimentation (VES).

Wave Physics: General concepts on wave propagation, definitions. Period, frequency and wavelength. Elastic waves in solids, liquids and gases. Propagation velocity. Sinusoidal waves; plane waves and spherical waves. Amplitude and intensity. Attenuation. Reflection and Refraction. Interference and beats, diffraction. Huygens’ Principle. The human ear; sound sensation, Weber-Fechner's law and definition of decibel; sensitivity curve of human ear. Propagation in confined media: stationary waves, harmonics. Fourier analysis. Resonance. Doppler effect. 

Electromagnetism: Electric charge. Electric field and electric potential. Gauss’s Law. Electric fields and potentials generated by some charge distributions. Conductors. Capacity and capacitors. Electric current; electrical resistance and Ohm's law; elementary circuits, RC circuits. Forces on moving charges and magnetic field. Ampére’s law. Magnetic fields generated by current distributions: straight wire (Biot-Savart’s law), loops and solenoids. Mass Spectrometer. Time-variable electrical and magnetic fields: Ampére-Maxwell's Law and Faraday-Neumann's Law. Maxwell equations; electromagnetic waves and photons.

Elements of Biomedical Physics and Physical Techniques for Medical Diagnostics: Blood circulation and heart work. Electric behavior of cell membrane, membrane potential (Nernst’s law) and action potential. Principle of  Electrocardiogram. Principles of X-ray Radiography and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. Ultrasounds: principles of Echography and Doppler flowmetry.

Exercising

Exercising lectures in class (exceeding the frontal theoretical lectures) are foreseen, for a total of 12 hours, usually divided as follows: 6 hours on Mechanics arguments, 2 hours on Statics/Dynamics of Fluids and 4 hours on arguments of Electromagnetism and Waves.

Development of the examination

• Assessment methods for learning:

The exam will be oral, generally comprising three questions on subjects of mechanics, fluid statics/dynamics, electromagnetism, wave physics or medical physics, according to teacher’s decision. At least one of the three questions (according to teacher’s decision) will require the student to solve an exercise.

• Criteria for the evaluation of learning:

The student will have to demonstrate that he/she knows the topics of the program in a critical and not only mnemonic way, and that he/she is able to solve at least one application exercise independently. Biomedical Physics applications should be understood and discussed, correlating them to basic physical principles.

• Criteria for the measurement of learning:

The final vote is given in thirty-five. The exam will be passed when the vote is greater than or equal to 18/30. The maximum vote can also be awarded with praise (“30/30 e lode”). 

• Criteria for the determination of the final vote:

Each of the three questions is awarded a maximum score of 10/30, for a total maximum of 30/30. The "30 e lode" (praise) vote is awarded if the student, according to teacher’s judgement, demonstrates particular brilliance and ownship of scientific language in the display of required arguments, together with total autonomy in the correct resolution of exercises.

Recommended reading

a)     F.Rustichelli, Introduzione alla Fisica Biomedica, Ed. Libreria Scientifica Ragni, Ancona.

b)     G.Bellini, G.Manuzio, Fisica per le Scienze della Vita, Ed. Piccin, Padova.

c)      A.Giambattista, B.McCarthy-Richardson, R.C.Richardson, Fisica Generale - Principi e Applicazioni, Ed. McGraw-Hill, Milano.

Courses

• Medicina e Chirurgia