Applied Physics

The course comprises:
– 1 lecture of 2 hours per week where are exposed the syllabus content and also applied the physics concepts to practical examples related to the field of Environmental Health professionals, showing to the student how to apply these concepts in problem solving;
– 1 theoretical-practice lesson of 1 hour a week, where students are invited to solve practical exercises and case studies with the support of their teacher. These exercises and case studies, related with the field of Environmental Health, can be used to clarify these phenomena from a scientific view. They are also important to develop effective analysis and problem solving skills.
Continuous evaluation:
1) periodic exercises (EP)
2) two written evaluation tests (PE1 + PE2)
Final Score = (EP + PE1 + PE2)/3, in which EP represents the average of the classification obtained in the various exercises, and PE1 and PE2 represents the evaluation obtained in the written evaluation tests.

The student must acquire knowledge:
– Related to concepts, laws and principles of Physics with a strong application in the practice of their future profession, particularly in the areas of harvesting and rational use of Energy, Thermodynamics , Acoustics, Electricity, Electromagnetic Radiation and Radioactivity.
The student must acquire skills to:
– understand and solve problems related to the interpretation of physical phenomena, with a strong relevance in the field of Occupational Health;
– apply the intellectual understanding and accuracy mechanisms underlying the scientific method, which so clearly transpire in the field of Physics;
The student must acquire competences to:
– critically use measurement equipment.

1 – Elements of classical physics
1.1 Units and dimensions
1.2 Principles of Mechanical of Fluids
2 – Energy
2.1 Conservative forces, Dissipative forces, power and energy efficiency
2.2 Production vs. Energy transfer
3 – Acoustics
3.1 Vibrations and Waves
3.2 Sound waves and noise
3.3 Acoustic systems and acoustic instrumentation
4 – Heat, thermal energy and thermodynamics
4.1 The laws of thermodynamics
4.2 Heat transfer processes
5 – Electricity
5.1 Continuous current vs AC
5.2 Bioelectricity
5.3 Electrical safety
6 – Electromagnetic Radiation
6.1 Electromagnetic Spectrum
6.2 Interaction of electromagnetic radiation with biological matter
7 – Radioactivity and nuclear energy
7.1 Stable and unstable isotopes
7.2 Radioactive decay
7.3 Production of energy in nuclear power plants
7.4 Radiological protection and safety

NAO