Physics is one of the basic courses of the first year of the Degree in Environmental Sciences and the Degree in Food Science and Technology.



This course offers a overall view of Physics, aimed towards basic concepts such as magnitudes and units, laws of motion, work and energy, and gravitational and electric forces.

- Accurately use the international system of magnitudes and units.

- Analyzes and explains the different concepts of Physics in the context of the degree.

- Reduces and simplifies problems to their most essential aspects, solving them by means of analysis, hypothesis emission, elaboration of strategies and analysis of results.

- Uses measuring instruments typical of a Physics laboratory, interpreting data and graphs accurately and evaluates experimental errors appropriately.

- Solve practical exercises applying the general principles and laws of Physics, justifying the method of resolution adopted.





Common competences

Is able to use information from various sources on an applied topic, interpret it appropriately, draw meaningful conclusions and present them publicly.

THEORETICAL CONTENTS:



Unit 1.- Observables, magnitudes, units. Significant figures.



Unit 2.- Laws of motion. Inertia, equilibrium, acceleration. Motion in a straight line, circular and parabolic. Inertial and non inertial frames of reference. Relative motion. Energy and work. Conservative and non conservative forces.



Unit 3.- Gravitational field. Force and potential fields. Gradient. Gravitational force and field. Gravitational potential energy and gravitational potential.



Unit 4.- Electric field. Electrostatic force and field. Coulomb’s Law. Electric potential energy and electric potential. Ohm’s Law. Electrical circuits. Electric power and Joule effect power losses.



Unit 5.- Magnetic field. Magnetism and magnets. Magnetic field and Lorentz force. Magnetic field created by and electric current. Electromagnetic Induction: Faraday’s Law.



Unit 6.- Thermodynamics. The three laws of Thermodynamics. Conservation of total energy. Entropy. Applications.





LABORATORY:



1.- Computer spreadsheet basics



2.- Mechanics



3.- Electromagnetic Induction



4.- Ohm's law

- Lectures: classes in which the teacher will explain the contents of the course. Low/medium difficulty problems may be proposed and solved during the class, in order to help settle the newly learned concepts. Student participation is encouraged.



- Class practices: the teacher and/or designated students will solve medium/high difficulty problems from a list assigned at the start of each unit.



- Jigsaw: this group activity forms part of the i3KD Educative Project of the degree of Food Science and Technology. The project consists on working on the Sustainable Development Goals in different subjects along the whole degree.



- Computer/laboratory practices: the students will perform experiments and computer calculations on matters closely related to the contents of the course. Student attendance is mandatory.

• Continuous Assessment System
• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Written test to be taken (%): 60
  • Team projects (problem solving, project design)) (%): 20
  • Midterms (%): 20

Students will be able to choose between “continuous assessment” and “final assessment” modalities:



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Continuous assessment



The exams and their weights break down as follows:

- 20%: Deliverable tasks

- 20%: Mid term exams

- 60%: Final exam of the grade. 20% will count for the practices exam, it will be necessary to obtain a 4 out of 10 in this part in order to pass the course. 40% will count for the course contents exam, it will be necessary to obtain a 5 out of 10 in this part in order to pass the course.



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Final assessment



A single final examination will be taken at the end of the term, weighting 100% of the grade (20% for the practices exam, 80% for the course contents exam).

The July examination will be graded following the final assessment modality, therefore a single final examination will be taken, weighting 100% of the grade (20% for the practices exam, 80% for the course contents exam).

Basic bibliography

- Fishbane PM et al. Physics: for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics. Prentice Hall, 1996.



- Tipler PA. Physics for Scientists and Engineers. 6th edition. Freeman & Company, W. H.; 2007.



- Kane JW, Sternheim MM. Physics. 3rd ed. Wiley; 1998.

In-depth bibliography

- Boeker E, Van Grodelle R. Environmental Physics. John Wiley & Sons, 2nd ed., 1999.

- Mason N, Hughes P. Introduction To Environmental Physics. Taylor & Francis, 2001.

Journals

Elhuyar aldizkaria.

Web addresses

- http://www.sc.ehu.es/sbweb/fisica/

- http://lectureonline.cl.msu.edu/~mmp/applist/applets.htm

- http://phet.colorado.edu/index.php