Last modified: 31 Jul 2023 11:19
Did you ever wonder about the efficiency of different forms of renewable energy, the mechanisms behind the formation of double rainbows or efficient ways of counting the number of termites in a nest? This non-calculus course provides an excellent opportunity to understand the basic principles of physics necessary to answer these and many other questions relevant to multiple disciplines, ranging from geology to engineering to biology and environmental sciences.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | First Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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The course covers topics from mechanics to radioactivity and teach the students how to answer simple questions such as :
Mechanics: How is our food intake related to our physical size? What forces work when we’re skiing? How efficient are the different forms of renewable energy?
Properties of matter: How fragile are our bones?. How can we distinguish between a fake and a real piece of gold?
Heat and molecular kinetic theory: How do bodies regulate temperature? How many molecules are there in a glass of beer?
Capillary action, diffusion and osmosis: How does the sap rise in trees? How does a pond skater walk on water?
Electricity: What is the link between a shark and an electric field? How do nerve cells transmit signals?
Optics: Why do diamonds sparkle?. How does a light microscope work?
Radioactivity: How can you determine the age of a mammoth? How can radioactivity be used to treat cancer?
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Interpreting questions correctly and applying to problems |
| Conceptual | Understand | Summarising information succinctly. Interpreting course material correctly. Organising research on topic. |
| Factual | Remember | Recognising terminology in practical physics |
| Procedural | Analyse | Employing feedback to successfully tackle problems, organising information to use methods for problem solving |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Interpreting information correctly, executing experiment as expected |
| Factual | Remember | Recognising terminology in practical physics |
| Factual | Remember | Recalling information and equations correctly |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 15 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Interpreting information correctly, executing experiment as expected |
| Conceptual | Understand | Interpreting questions correctly and applying to problems |
| Factual | Remember | Recalling information and equations correctly |
| Procedural | Analyse | Employing feedback to successfully tackle problems, organising information to use methods for problem solving |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Fortnightly Online Tests |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Summarising information succinctly. Interpreting course material correctly. Organising research on topic. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Interpreting questions correctly and applying to problems |
| Factual | Remember | Recalling information and equations correctly |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Remember | Recognising terminology in practical physics |
| Conceptual | Understand | Interpreting information correctly, executing experiment as expected |
| Factual | Remember | Recalling information and equations correctly |
| Procedural | Analyse | Employing feedback to successfully tackle problems, organising information to use methods for problem solving |
| Conceptual | Understand | Summarising information succinctly. Interpreting course material correctly. Organising research on topic. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Interpreting questions correctly and applying to problems |
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