PHYS 233 Outline

THE KING'S UNIVERSITY

TERM:

2022-23 Fall

COURSE NUMBER:

PHYS 233

COURSE TITLE:

Mechanics at the Molecular and Cellular Level

NAME OF INSTRUCTOR:

Dr Robert McDonald

CREDIT WEIGHT AND WEEKLY TIME DISTRIBUTION:

credits 3(hrs lect 3 - hrs sem 0 - hrs lab 3)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The physics of motion and interactions, primarily in the context of molecules and biological cells. Algebra-based. Topics include kinematics, particle dynamics, work and energy, linear momentum, diffusion, entropy and enthalpy.

Students with credit in PHYS 241 cannot receive credit for PHYS 233.

Prerequisites: Mathematics 30-1, and either Physics 20 or Science 30. (Students who intend to use Science 30 as a prerequisite must consult with and have the consent of the instructor.)

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Readings and other material are provided through Moodle. There is no purchased textbook.

MARK DISTRIBUTION IN PERCENT:


Homework	25%
Participation	10%
Labs	20%
Midterm Exam	30%
Final Exam	15%

	100%

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

When you are finished this course, you will:

understand what “physics” is.
know how to break problems into parts.
know how to relate problems to other (apparently) unrelated systems.
understand the power of approximation.
be able to describe an object’s motion graphically and mathematically.
understand how forces determine an object’s motion.
be able to use simulations to study systems with complex interactions.
understand how macroscopic phenomena emerge from microscopic interactions.
understand what “entropy” is, and how it relates to probability and simple mechanics
understand how the laws of physics apply to life at the cellular level.
understand how the laws of physics affect the motion and interactions of molecules.

COURSE OUTLINE:

Lecture Topics

Motion in one dimension
Conservation of momentum and energy
Diffusion
Force and Newton laws
Work, potential energy, and bound states
Entropy
Free energy of molecules

Required texts, assignments, and grade distributions may vary from one offering of this course to the next. Please consult the course instructor for up to date details.