Dental School

LUCIANO DE SIO
LUCIANO DE SIO
LUCA DIGIACOMO
LUCA DIGIACOMO

General Objectives of the Integrated Course
The Physics course aims to provide students with the essential knowledge of physics needed to understand natural phenomena and biological processes, with particular attention to applications in the biomedical field.

Specific Objectives of the Integrated Course
Knowledge and Understanding

At the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. acquire the language and methodology of physical sciences
2. know and describe the fundamental laws of physics
3. describe, understand and interpret quantitatively the main physical aspects of the reality
that surrounds us, with particular reference to issues of interest to the life sciences

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. apply the laws of classical physics appropriately to describe and interpret elementary phenomena
relating to motion, energy and the thermal, electrical and magnetic properties
of matter, using the units of measurement of the most common physical quantities correctly and
knowing the conversion factors between homogeneous units of measurement.
2. apply these laws to solve problems and numerical exercises
3. clearly communicate the process used to arrive at their solution
4. demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method for measuring and critically interpreting physical phenomena.
Independent judgement
At the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. critically evaluate information
2. form informed opinions
3. correlate the knowledge acquired with the content of future training courses

Communication skills:
At the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. express their information and knowledge clearly and effectively

Learning skills
At the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. learn independently and continuously
2. update their skills and knowledge
3. use the methodology learned in the course to learn independently and continuously about topics of interest for their educational path.

Knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology is required, in line with the curriculum promoted by educational institutions that organise educational and teaching activities consistent with the National Guidelines for secondary schools and the Guidelines for technical and vocational institutions.

Teaching unit 1. Introduction to physics methods (teaching commitment assessed in CFU = 0.25).
Interpret basic elements of mathematics and physics (graphs and formulas). Solve operations between vectors; perform conversions between units of measurement:
- Scientific notation;
- Physical quantities, dimensions and units of measurement, International System of Units. Conversions between units of measurement and order of magnitude estimation. Extensive and intensive quantities. Scalar and vector quantities.
- Equations with variables representing physical quantities;
- Elementary trigonometric functions; graphs; concept of derivative and integral.
- Vectors: definition, components, operations (examples: sum, difference, scalar product and vector product).
Teaching unit 2. Mechanics (teaching commitment assessed in CFU= 1.5)
Describe and interpret elements of mechanics. Solve problems and numerical exercises related to mechanics:
- kinematics of the material point: definition of position and displacement over time. Concept of trajectory and hourly law. Distinction between average speed and instantaneous speed, between average acceleration and instantaneous acceleration. Study of rectilinear and curvilinear motions, with significant examples: uniform rectilinear motion, uniformly accelerated motion, free fall, parabolic motion. Qualitative description of uniform circular motion and the concept of centripetal acceleration. Introduction to harmonic motion, useful for understanding simple periodic phenomena.
- Dynamics of a material point: analysis of interactions between bodies and formulation of the three principles of dynamics. Physical meaning of the principle of inertia and conditions for static equilibrium (first law). Relationship between resultant force and acceleration (second law). Action and reaction between interacting bodies (third law). Application to the concepts of translational equilibrium. Definition of force and main examples: weight force, gravitational force, contact forces and friction force (static and dynamic), tension, elastic forces and Hooke's law for ideal springs.
- Work and energy: concept of mechanical work as the effect of a force applied to a body. Definition of power and its relationship with work done in a time interval. Kinetic energy theorem. Work and comparison between conservative and non-conservative forces. Definition of potential energy. Examples: gravitational potential energy and elastic potential energy. Mechanical energy as the sum of kinetic energy and potential energy. Theorem of conservation of mechanical energy in ideal systems.
- Momentum: introduction to the concept of momentum and impulse. Relationship between impulse and change in momentum. Principle of conservation of momentum in isolated systems. Applications to one-dimensional collisions, with distinction between elastic and inelastic collisions.
- Systems of bodies: definition of centre of mass and description of its motion. Characteristics of a rigid body. Torque and conditions for rotational equilibrium. Moment of inertia as a measure of resistance to rotation. Angular momentum and its conservation in the absence of external moments. Application examples: levers. Deformable bodies: introduction to the concepts of elasticity, stress and strain, generalised Hooke's law, Young's modulus and breaking load of materials.
Teaching Unit 3. Fluid Mechanics (teaching commitment assessed in CFU = 1)
Describe and interpret elements of fluid mechanics. Correlate the principles of fluid dynamics with flows, resistances and physiological pressures in biological systems. Solve problems and numerical exercises related to fluid mechanics:
- States of matter: fundamental characteristics of fluids compared to solids. Definition of pressure and density, and their role in the static and dynamic behaviour of fluids.
- Laws of hydrostatics: Stevino's law for pressure in liquids as a function of depth; Pascal's principle for pressure transmission in incompressible fluids; Archimedes' principle for the thrust that a fluid exerts on an immersed body. Analysis of buoyancy conditions. Instruments and methods for measuring pressure (Torricelli's experiment, manometer).
- Fluids in motion (hydrodynamics): concepts of flow and flow rate, distinction between steady and turbulent motion, with particular attention to laminar motion. Continuity equation and conservation of mass in ideal fluids. Bernoulli's theorem and its interpretation in terms of conservation of mechanical energy. Torricelli's theorem. Applications to physiological situations (stenosis and aneurysm).
- Real fluids and viscosity: analysis of laminar motion, parabolic velocity profile, concept of velocity gradient. Poiseuille's law and hydraulic resistances in series and in parallel.
- Surface phenomena: surface tension and its effects on small quantities of liquid. Capillary phenomena and behaviour of fluid interfaces, both flat and curved. Curvature pressure and its qualitative description using Laplace's law, with reference to phenomena observable in biological contexts (e.g. in the lungs or blood capillaries).
Teaching unit 4. Mechanical waves (teaching commitment assessed in CFU= 0.5)
Describe and interpret elements of mechanical waves. Correlate wave phenomena in the acoustic field. Solve problems and numerical exercises related to mechanical waves:
- Mechanical waves: introduction to the nature of mechanical waves as phenomena of energy propagation and perturbation through a material medium. Concept of harmonic oscillator as a basic model of wave generation. Definition of frequency, period, pulsation and wavelength. Wave propagation speed and relationship between wave parameters. Propagation equation for simple harmonic waves. Description of the wave vector. Examples of one-dimensional waves: transverse waves on a string and longitudinal waves, such as sound waves in fluids.
- Principles of superposition and interference: linear superposition of harmonic waves and formation of constructive and destructive interference. Standing waves: conditions of formation and physical meaning.
- Energy carried by waves: concept of energy associated with a mechanical wave. Power carried by a wave in an elastic medium. Wave intensity as a measurable physical quantity, linked to the energy transported per unit of area and time.
- Acoustic waves: propagation of sound in different materials, with particular attention to the speed of sound in air and other materials. Relationship between acoustic intensity and sound perception. Definition of sound intensity level in decibels. Concept of hearing threshold and limits of audibility of the human ear.
- Doppler effect: qualitative description and interpretation of the apparent change in perceived frequency as a function of the relative motion between the source and the observer.
Teaching unit 5. Thermodynamics (teaching commitment assessed in CFU= 1)
Describe and interpret elements of thermodynamics. Solve problems and numerical exercises related to thermodynamics:
- Fundamental concepts: definition of system and environment. Thermodynamic variables (pressure, volume, temperature) and thermodynamic state. State functions. Temperature and its measurement scales. Characteristics of ideal gases, ideal gas law, universal gas constant. Real gases: concept of critical temperature and deviations from ideal behaviour. Internal energy and microscopic interpretation based on kinetic theory of gases.
- Heat and heat capacity: energy exchanges in the form of heat. Definition of heat capacity and specific heat, with reference to ideal gases. Phenomena of physical state change (melting, evaporation, condensation), latent heat. Calorimetry and experimental methods for measuring heat exchange.
- Heat transfer mechanisms: thermal conduction, convection and radiation. Heat flow. Thermal emission, Wien's law and radiated power. Examples of heat transfer.
- First law of thermodynamics: definition and physical meaning. Internal energy, heat and work. Application of the first law to thermodynamic transformations. Reversible and irreversible transformations. Canonical transformations in ideal gases: isothermal, isochoric, isobaric, adiabatic, with qualitative comparison of behaviours.
- Second law of thermodynamics: fundamental statements and concept of irreversibility. Thermodynamic cycles: definition and operation. Thermal machines, efficiency, Carnot cycle. Entropy as a state function, macroscopic implications and statistical interpretation. Link between entropy variation and the natural direction of thermodynamic processes.
Teaching unit 6. Electricity and magnetism (teaching commitment assessed in CFU= 1.25)
Describe and interpret elements of electricity and magnetism. Understand electrical and magnetic phenomena. Solve problems and numerical exercises related to elements of electricity and magnetism:
- Electric charge and interactions: fundamental properties of electric charge, units of measurement, conservation of charge. Interaction between point charges and Coulomb's law. Definition of electric field and representation by lines of force. Field generated by a point charge or a distribution of multiple point charges. Motion of a charge in a uniform electric field.
- Gauss's law: electric field flux through a closed surface. Applications to symmetrical charge distributions: conductive sphere, uniformly charged plane, charged wire in electrostatic equilibrium.
- Energy and electric potential: potential energy associated with a distribution of charges. Definition of electric potential and potential difference. Conservation of energy for a charge moving in an electric field. Electric dipole and dipole moment.
- Conductors and dielectrics (insulators): phenomena of electrostatic induction and polarisation.
- Electric current: direct current, current intensity, electric generator and applied potential difference. Conduction in ohmic conductors. Ohm's law, resistance and resistivity of materials. Electrical power dissipated by the Joule effect. Combination of resistors in series and in parallel.
- Capacitance and capacitors: concept of electrical capacitance. Capacitance of a flat capacitor, effect of the presence of a dielectric. Energy stored in a charged capacitor. Series and parallel connections of capacitors. Charging and discharging of a capacitor over time.
- Magnetic field: origin of the magnetic field from electric currents (Oerstedt's experiment). Lorentz force on a moving charge and on a wire carrying current. Circular motion of an electric charge in a uniform magnetic field. Torque on a current-carrying loop immersed in a uniform magnetic field. Magnetic dipole moment.
- Biot-Savart law: infinitesimal contribution to the magnetic field generated by a current. Examples: straight wire, circular loop, ideal solenoid. Field distribution and orientation.
- Electromagnetic induction: variation in magnetic flux and generation of electromotive force. Faraday-Neumann-Lenz law. Induced currents and their direction.
- Applications: cell membrane potentials, depolarisation and repolarisation of cell membranes.
Teaching unit 7. Electromagnetic radiation (teaching commitment assessed in CFU= 0.5)
Describe and interpret elements of electromagnetic radiation. Understand the effects of radiation. Solve problems and numerical exercises related to elements of electromagnetic radiation:
- Electromagnetic radiation: wave nature of electromagnetic waves as a combination of oscillating electric and magnetic fields perpendicular to each other; fundamental characteristics such as wavelength, frequency, speed of propagation in a vacuum and in material media, amplitude and intensity of the wave. Relationship between wave intensity and amount of energy transported. Main units of measurement.
- Electromagnetic radiation spectrum: division of the spectrum into regions (radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays), in ascending order of frequency and descending order of wavelength.
- Energy quantisation: concept of the photon as a quantum of energy associated with radiation; relationship between photon energy and frequency. Interpretation of the photoelectric effect and implications for the quantum nature of radiation. Selective absorption of photons by biological molecules.
- Radioactivity and radioactive decay: definition of unstable nucleus, concept of radioactive isotopes. Main types of decay (alpha, beta, gamma) and associated nuclear transformations.
- Ionising and non-ionising radiation: distinction based on the energy carried by the radiation compared to the ionisation energy of atoms. Examples of non-ionising radiation (radio waves, microwaves, infrared) and ionising radiation (X-rays, gamma rays).
- Optics: laws of reflection and refraction of light, concept of refractive index, phenomenon of dispersion. Properties of thin lenses: converging and diverging lenses, formation of real and virtual images. Examples: the microscope.

R. A. Serway, J. W. Jewett Jr - Fondamenti di fisica – Edises
D. C. Giancoli - Fisica con fisica moderna - Casa Ed. Ambrosiana - Zanichelli
J. S. Walker – Fondamenti di Fisica – Pearson
A. Alessandrini - Fisica per le scienze della vita - Casa Ed. Ambrosiana – Zanichelli
D. Scannicchio - Fisica Generale e Biomedica – Edises

All course materials are available on the Moodle platform.
https://elearning.uniroma1.it/course/view.php?id=19844

The lecturer delivers classroom teaching in the traditional manner, using audiovisual aids and scheduling lessons as indicated on the GOMP Classroom/Timetable System and published on the degree programme and faculty websites.

In accordance with the programme's teaching regulations, students are required to attend all teaching and professional development activities. Attendance is monitored by the University via a computerised system. Students must provide proof of attendance at compulsory teaching activities in order to sit the relevant examination.

The course assessment methods are governed by Ministerial Decree no. 418 of 30/05/2025.
Art. 5, paragraph 1 of Ministerial Decree 418 of 30/05/2025:
‘The examinations for the three courses referred to in Article 4 shall be held on the same date and at the same time in all universities offering the filter semester, even if this is in derogation from the prohibition on taking examinations on the same date provided for in the University's teaching regulations.’

Art. 5, paragraph 3 of Ministerial Decree 418 of 30/05/2025:
‘Each examination consists of thirty-one (31) questions, fifteen (15) of which are multiple choice and sixteen (16) of which are fill-in-the-blank, as provided for in Annex 2, which forms an integral part of this decree... A time limit of 45 minutes is assigned for each examination relating to each course.’

MUR GUIDELINES FOR OPEN SEMESTER EXAMS
brochure-guidelines-semester-web-b-24pag-20ott25

Further information may be made available on Universitaly:
https://www.universitaly.it/medicina2025

• The detailed syllabus of the Physics lectures can be viewed at the following link://www.uniroma1.it/sites/default/files/field_file_allegati/orariofisica_polorosa.pdf