Module: Basic Sciences for Engineers (Physical, Chemical, Life)

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Basic Sciences for Engineers (Physical, Chemical, Life)
Module Code	EEG1017 (ITS: FSH104)
Faculty	Science & Health	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	10

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.

To develop an understanding of the basic concepts of chemistry, including the structure of atoms, electronic configuration, and orbital shapes.

To develop an understanding of the relationship between electronic configuration and chemical properties.

To develop an understanding of the chemical bond, both ionic and covalent.

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.

To introduce students to cellular processes and key components, including their roles in complex organisms.

To introduce concepts of control and signalling in biological organisms.

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

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	60	The Chemistry lectures normally run during the first six weeks only. The Life Sciences lectures are timetabled for the second half of semester. The Physics lectures run on a more regular timetable over the full semester
Tutorial	12	See timetable. Again the Chemistry component runs during the first half of the semester only
Independent Study	178	No Description
Total Workload: 250

Section Breakdown
CRN	10640	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Mercedes Vazquez	Module Teacher	Deborah O'Connell, Denise Harold, Finbarr O'Sullivan, James Conway, Noel Murphy, Patrick O'Malley, Paul Cahill

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Loop Quiz	Four Loop-based physics tests	20%	n/a
Loop Exam	Loop-based physics exam	20%	n/a
Loop Quiz	Weekly Loop-based chemistry quizzes on Weeks 1-6	7.5%	n/a
Loop Quiz	A final Loop-based quiz covering all of the chemistry content of this module - Week 8/9	22.5%	n/a
Loop Quiz	Loop-based quiz: 60 questions in 60 minutes on the life-sciences component of the module	30%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

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

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Physics
Introduction, 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;

Chemistry
Introduction 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 Engineers
Unit 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.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

James Morris et al: 2019, Biology: How Life Works, Third edition, W. H. Freeman, 1248, 1319017630
Hugh D. Young,Roger A. Freedman: 0, University Physics with Modern Physics in SI Units, 1-292-31473-7
Raymond Chang,Jason Overby: 2018, Chemistry, 13th Edition, McGraw-Hill, 1170, 1260085317

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None