PHYSICS, STATISTICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

Module FISICA APPLICATA

The Physics course aims to provide students with a solid foundation in Physics and Mathematics, essential for understanding biological, physiological, and medical phenomena, as well as for the proper use of instrumentation in professional practice.
By the end of the course, students are expected to have acquired the fundamental physical principles and the basic scientific language required to understand biomedical processes. They should also be able to recognize and apply physical concepts in clinical and professional contexts related to orthoptics and ophthalmologic assistance, developing critical skills to analyze problems and propose autonomous solutions. The course also seeks to enhance students’ ability to use technical-scientific language effectively and to provide the theoretical and methodological tools necessary to approach and understand new techniques and situations encountered during their training and future professional activity.

Lectures and classroom exercises.

If the course is delivered in blended or distance learning mode, any necessary changes may be introduced with respect to what was previously stated, to comply with the planned program and the syllabus.

Information for students with disabilities and/or specific Learning Disorders (LDs)

To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current legislation, interested students may request a personal meeting to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on their learning objectives and specific needs.

Students may also contact our Department's representative of CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or LDs).

ntroduction: Physical quantities. Quantifying a quantity. Units of measurement in the International System. Derived units. Dimensional equations. The concept of error. Vectors and scalars.

Kinematics and Dynamics: Motion of bodies. Trajectory. Velocity. Acceleration. Uniform, uniformly accelerated, and uniform circular motion. The concept of force. Newton's laws. Work. Conservative forces. Kinetic and potential energy. Conservation of mechanical energy.

Fluids: Definition of a fluid. Characteristic quantities. Pressure. Pascal’s principle. Stevin’s law. Archimedes’ principle. Fluids in motion. Continuity equation. Bernoulli’s theorem. Aneurysm and stenosis. Real fluids. Poiseuille’s law. Hydraulic resistance and Reynolds number.

Thermology and Thermodynamics: Open, closed, and isolated systems. Temperature and heat. Measuring temperature. Thermometric scales. Clinical thermometers. Thermal equilibrium. Thermal expansion of bodies. Thermometer calibration. Basal metabolism. Human thermoregulation. Phase transitions. Specific heat. Heat transfer.

Wave Phenomena: Waves. Harmonic motion. Damped and forced oscillations. Reflection, refraction, and total reflection. Doppler effect. Wave propagation equation. Principle of superposition. Acoustic waves. Propagation of sound waves. Sound intensity levels. Ultrasound. Doppler flowmetry. Ultrasonography.

Geometrical Optics: Electromagnetic waves. Electromagnetic spectrum. Light. Reflection and refraction. Total internal reflection. Optical fibers and applications (endoscopy). Laser light and its use in medicine. Diopter. Thin lenses. Lens aberrations.

Optics in Biology and Medicine: Simple and compound microscope. The eye as an optical system. Reference points and axes of the eye. Determination of distances. Visual acuity. Eye defects.

Radiation in Biology and Medicine: Ionizing radiation and interaction with matter. Biological effects of ionizing radiation. Dosimetry and radiation protection.

Multiple-choice and open-ended questions.

Passing the written exam grants access to the oral exam. Students may also choose to confirm the grade obtained in the written exam.