AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS
Department of Food 
Science & Human Nutrition

Physics

Content

Fluid Mechanics:
Fluids at rest, Ideal Fluids, Fluid Dynamics, Intermolecular Forces, Surface Effects, Viscous Fluids, Non-Newtonian fluids - Blood.
Heat:
Calorimetry, Heat Transfer, Kinetic-Molecular Model for Ideal Gas, Heat Capacity, Phase Conversions, 1st Law of thermodynamics, Basic Thermodynamic processes, Internal Energy, Enthalpy, 2nd Law of thermodynamics, Entropy, Free Energy.
Optics:
Nature of light, Geometric Optics, Lens, The Microscope, Polarized light, Diffraction, resolution limit, Imaging methods.
Atomic and Nuclear Physics:
Spectroscopy, Electron microscope, Structure of the Core, Radioactivity, Biological Effects of Nuclear Radiation.
Practical Exercises:
Instructions for writing a scientific report, Measurement Errors, Graphical representation of measurements, Emission and absorption spectrum in the visible area. Polarized light -optically active materials, Absorption of γ-radiation from materials, Capillary effect-surface tension, Measurement of viscosity, Special heat of a liquid. Diffraction of Light.

Learning results

The course aims to introduce students to the basic concepts of Physics both at the level of experimental techniques and at the level of understanding the basic processes and functions studied by Life Sciences. The concepts of physics are introduced through issues raised by the phenomenon of life and are complemented by many other topics in modern Biophysics and Biology.

The selection of the examined topics is based on the needs of the Life Sciences. Some typical topics that are not central to the life sciences are omitted (eg Kepler's laws, special relativity theory, elementary particle physics, astrophysics, etc.). The principles of physics are introduced, where possible, through biology issues whereas life sciences issues are everywhere embedded in the teaching material of this course. This stimulates the students' interest as they examine issues belonging in the core of their studies, from the perspective of Physics. Introductory concepts in measurement and statistical analysis methodologies that are necessary in almost all the sciences are also taught in the practical exercises.

Physics course aims to introduce students to the basic concepts upon which many important developments in molecular and cell biology have been based. Moreover, the Physics course provides students with cognitive tools that connect many types of phenomena that are unrelated to each other. Many of these tools are quantitative and can "standardize" a phenomenon to confirm or reject a theoretical hypothesis. Thus, students with this knowledge are called upon to deal with problems they encounter for the first time, using the right tools-laws.

Bibliography

Theory:
1) Freedman Roger A., Ruskell Todd G., Kesten Philip R., Tauck David L., Βασικές Αρχές Φυσικής στις Επιστήμες Υγείας, Broken Hill Publishers Ltd, 2019
2) Newman, Jay. Φυσική για τις επιστήμες ζωής, ΔΙΑΥΛΟΣ publishing, 2013
3) Halliday David, Resnick Robert, Walker Jearl, ΦΥΣΙΚΗ, Gutenberg publishing, 2014

Practical Exercises:
«Εργαστηριακές Ασκήσεις Φυσικής», UA publishing, Bethanis Κ., Karpusas Μ. and Tzamalis P.

NEWSLETTER

The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition (renamed Department of Food Science and Technology, Decree 80/27/5/13, Government Gazette A119 28/5/13) offers its students the scientific background for a rational approach to scientific and technological issues related to the food sector.
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