Module Specifications.
Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025
All Module information is indicative, and this portal is an interim interface pending the full upgrade of Coursebuilder and subsequent integration to the new DCU Student Information System (DCU Key).
As such, this is a point in time view of data which will be refreshed periodically. Some fields/data may not yet be available pending the completion of the full Coursebuilder upgrade and integration project. We will post status updates as they become available. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Date posted: September 2024
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Coursework Only All three components of the module will be reassessed by online Loop-based quizzes, with details of the arrangements to be provided by the lecturers concerned. |
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Description To give the student an introduction to the main concepts in basic physics as required in mechanics, including units and measurements, vectors, kinematics and the physical quantities of displacement, velocity & acceleration, Newton's laws and rotational motion. <p><p> To develop an understanding of the basic concepts of chemistry, including the structure of atoms, electronic configuration, and orbital shapes. <p> To develop an understanding of the relationship between electronic configuration and chemical properties. <p> To develop an understanding of the chemical bond, both ionic and covalent.<p> To provide the students with a basic grounding in the structure and organisation of biological cells relevant to further studies and applications in mechanical and electronic engineering. <p> To introduce students to cellular processes and key components, including their roles in complex organisms. <p> To introduce concepts of control and signalling in biological organisms. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Learning Outcomes 1. demonstrate an understanding of the main concepts in basic physics as required in mechanics, including units and measurements, vectors, kinematics and the physical quantities of displacement, velocity & acceleration, Newton s laws, work, energy, rotational motion, energy and momentum conservation laws and elasticity by describing/discussing these either in verbal or written form. 2. confidently use mathematics, including algebra, geometry, trigonometry and basic calculus (mainly differentiation) in tackling appropriate aspects of mechanics problems 3. derive the electronic structure of the elements 4. predict the chemical and physical properties of the elements based on their position in the periodic table 5. demonstrate an understanding of the nature of the chemical bond and estimate the bond-order for simple diatomic molecules. 6. describe aspects of cell and organism structure and function relevant to engineering applications. 7. indicate the scientific specialists relevant to the solution of an interdisciplinary problem outside the technology area of their own programme | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml |
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Indicative Content and Learning Activities
PhysicsIntroduction, including recommended texts, What is science/the scientific method? The relationship between physics, chemistry and biology; Units, measurement, standards and measurment reliability; Linear motion (kinematics); Newton s Laws; Work, Energy and conservation Laws; Momentum and Impulse; Rotational motion; Equilibrium and elasticity; Beyond classical mechanics to quantum ideas;ChemistryIntroduction to the structure of the atom from ancient ideas to modern quantum theory. Concept of orbitals to describe the behaviour of electrons. Assignment of electronic configurations to particular elements. Long form of the periodic table of the elements. Nature of the chemical bond, from ionic through to covalent. How modern quantum chemical approaches can provide ways of predicting the strength of chemical bonds.Life Sciences for EngineersUnit of structure, function and systems: the cell, prokaryotes vs. eukaryotes, the cell factory. Biological materials: Proteins, biology's workhorses (structure/ function, examples (insulin, hemoglobin), biological catalysis). Carbohydrates (sugars, glycoproteins). Lipids (classes, biological membranes). Extracellular matrix (composition, roles, diseases). Information systems: Heredity (Individual, Family, Population, Evolution), Chromosomes (Karyotyping), Genes, DNA, the Genetic Code, Regulation of gene activity, Cell differentiation & tissue specificity, Dolly the cloned sheep, Genetic mutation, developments & applications of the Human Genome Project. Signal transduction and amplification: overview of cell signalling processes, the cell cycle & cell division. Systems breakdown: basic biology of cancer. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Indicative Reading List
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Other Resources None | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||