Course coordinator
Dr Tyler Neely
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Mathematics & Physics School
An algebra-based introduction to Physics in a biological context. Topics include forces, motion, thermodynamics, waves, fluids, electricity and biomedical sensing.
This is a non-calculus introduction to physics in a biological context, introducing the physical principles that underlie the biological world. It covers the major topic areas of forces and motion, bulk materials (elasticity and fluids), thermodynamics, electricity and biomedical imaging.
The course is designed for a range of students, including those wishing to major in biology/biomedical or chemistry fields, and as an alternative to senior physics. It may also be used as preparation for GAMSAT for entry to the Graduate Medical Program.ﾠ
Course requirements
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
PHYS1170 or (a pass in PHYS1001 or PHYS1002)
Restrictions
BE(Hons) (including BE and duals) students who have successfully completed QLD Year 12 Physics (or equivalent) with a grade of B or higher, are not permitted to enrol unless permitted by EAIT Faculty.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Tyler Neely
Professor Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop
Associate Professor Sally Shrapnel
Dr Carolyn Wood
Tutor
Ms Amanda Smith
Mr Kyle Clunies-Ross
Mr Ben Broadhead
Ms Osheen Joseph
Mr Deepesh Singh
Mr Isaac Beh
Mr Aymeric Pinon
Mx Eden Berkmortel
Miss Charlotte Elgey
Mr Arthur Passos
Laboratory coordinator
Dr Tyler Neely
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
The schedule of lecture topics, tutorial and practical activities, and assessments over the semester will be posted on the Blackboard course website. This schedule takes into account public holidays for this semester.
Attend tutorials and practicals according to the timetabling for your particular tutorial and practical groups. (If your weekly tutorial session would take place on a day scheduled as a public holiday, and there are other tutorial sessions operating that week, you are welcome to attend another session that week, subject to availability of space in the session).
Classes will be conducted on campus for all students. Consult your personal timetable for times and locations. Students are expected to attend classes in personﾠunless they have a valid reason for being unable to attend (such as illness). Alternative arrangements will be advised on Blackboard should the campus be closed for any reason.
Students are expected to attend and participate in all learning activities.ﾠ
Aims and outcomes
On completing this course, the student should
- understand and be able to explain central concepts in Physics, of relevance to biological systems,
- be able to solve numerical problems involving these concepts, and
- be able to apply theoretical concepts and use basic lab skills in practical laboratory situations.
The concepts include the description and explanation of motion, properties of matter, heat, fluids, radiation, and electricity.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Define, explain and interrelate fundamental concepts of physics, of relevance to biological systems
LO2.
Identify the essential physics governing the behaviour of a range of systems
LO3.
Apply theory and techniques to solve a range of numerical problems and obtain correct values for physical quantities in appropriate units of measurement
LO4.
Investigate phenomena, perform experimental measurements and analyse data
LO5.
Comprehend and present information in various scientific forms (tabular, graphical, diagrammatic, written)
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tutorial/ Problem Set | Assignments | 20% |
Assignment 1: Week 3, Mon 5:00 pm Assignment 2: Week 4, Mon 5:00 pm Assignment 3: Week 5, Mon 5:00 pm Assignment 4: Week 7, Mon 5:00 pm Assignment 5: Week 8, Mon 5:00 pm Assignment 6: Week 9, Mon 5:00 pm Assignment 7: Week 12, Mon 5:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Practical reports | 20% |
See schedule of dates posted on Blackboard for deadlines for each report. |
| Quiz |
Reading Quizzes
|
10% |
The reading quiz will close one-hour prior to the last lecture of the week. Students are free to choose which quizzes to participate in but must complete 10 total across the semester to receive full credit. |
| Examination |
Final exam
|
50% |
End of Semester Exam Period 2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024 |
Assessment details
Assignments
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Tutorial/ Problem Set
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
Assignment 1: Week 3, Mon 5:00 pm
Assignment 2: Week 4, Mon 5:00 pm
Assignment 3: Week 5, Mon 5:00 pm
Assignment 4: Week 7, Mon 5:00 pm
Assignment 5: Week 8, Mon 5:00 pm
Assignment 6: Week 9, Mon 5:00 pm
Assignment 7: Week 12, Mon 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L05
Task description
There are 7 assignments distributed over the semester. Each assignment will focus on problem-solving and understanding related to a distinct set of physics topics.
Students produce their own solutions to the assignment questions.
Model answers for all questions will be published on Blackboard 7 days after the deadline.
Submission guidelines
Submit online via Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for the extension and deferred examination information relating to this assessment item. Solutions for assessment item/s will be released 7 days after the assessment is due and as such, an extension after 7 days will not be possible.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item a penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24 hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.
Practical reports
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
See schedule of dates posted on Blackboard for deadlines for each report.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L04, L05
Task description
The practicals for PHYS1171 consist of an introductory session followed by assessed laboratory activities.
Students will perform experiments and gather data for analysis, in small groups in labs on-campus.
A report will be written for each assessed experiment.
The first two assessed experiments are each completed within a single practical session each, and reports submitted by the end of the session. For these short experiments, E1 and E2, reports will be written using the report sheet template provided and are worth 3% each.
The third assessed experiment will extend over two practical sessions (E3-I and E3-II). For this extended experiment, students will write a full experiment report, due one week after their second session (E3-II) and worth 14% of the final grade.
Students can also choose to submit an optional interim report within 1 week after their first session on this final experiment (E3-I). Those who do so will receive written feedback on this report from their tutors. This optional activity is recommended for students with little or no experience of Prac report writing who would benefit from some early feedback.
Submission guidelines
For each assessed experiment, submit your report online via Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for the extension and deferred examination information relating to this assessment item.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item a penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24 hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.
Reading Quizzes
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 10%
- Due date
The reading quiz will close one-hour prior to the last lecture of the week. Students are free to choose which quizzes to participate in but must complete 10 total across the semester to receive full credit.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L05
Task description
Weekly comprehension reading quizzes are the formative assessment for this course, and are completed using the Playpus platform, linked from Blackboard. The aim is to evaluate comprehension of the five-minute physics materials via a context question, followed by a second question: "What aspect of the Five-Minute Physics content did you find most challenging?" to allow for feedback in lecture. Students are required to answer at least 10 reading quizzes to receive full credit for this item.
Submission guidelines
Quizzes are completed using the Playpus platform, linked from Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
No late submissions or extensions are allowed.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
No late submissions or extensions are allowed.
Final exam
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L05
Task description
The end-of-semester examination will require short written answers in which you explain concepts and solve problems.
Course material from throughout the semester will be examinable.
A formula sheet along with selected physical constants will be given on the exam paper.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series only or UQ approved and labelled calculator |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for the extension and deferred examination information relating to this assessment item.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: To earn a Grade of 1, a student demonstrates a very poor knowledge of the basic concepts in the course material. This includes attempts at answering questions that demonstrate very limited understanding of the key concepts. Some work must be submitted for assessment. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: To earn a Grade of 2, a student, although failing to satisfy basic requirements of the course, must demonstrate some knowledge of the basic concepts and limited knowledge of techniques used to solve problems. A mark of at least 25% overall must be obtained. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: To earn a Grade of 3, a student must demonstrate some understanding of the basic concepts and knowledge of techniques used to solve problems. The student falls short of satisfying requirements for a Pass but may be close to satisfactory overall, or have compensating strengths in some aspects of the course. A mark of at least 40% overall must be obtained. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: To earn a Grade of 4, a student must satisfy the basic learning requirements for the course, such as understanding of the fundamental concepts and performance of basic skills. The student must demonstrate knowledge of techniques used to solve problems. A mark of at least 50% overall, but not necessarily on every assessment piece, must be obtained.Also an achievement of at least 40% of the available marks on the final exam, and at least 40% of the available marks for the practical work, must be obtained. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: To earn a Grade of 5, a student must demonstrate a good understanding of the course material and an ability to apply techniques to successfully solve problems, using fundamental concepts and skills of the course. A mark of at least 65% overall must be obtained.Also an achievement of at least 40% of the available marks on the final exam, and at least 40% of the available marks for the practical work, must be obtained. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: To earn a Grade of 6, a student must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the course material, and be proficient in applying techniques to solve both theoretical and practical problems. This may be exemplified by the ability to solve non-routine problems and apply ideas to novel situations. A mark of at least 75% overall must be obtained.Also an achievement of at least 40% of the available marks on the final exam, and at least 40% of the available marks for the practical work, must be obtained. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: To earn a Grade of 7, a student must demonstrate an excellent understanding of the course material, and be highly proficient in applying appropriate techniques to accurately solve both theoretical and practical problems. A mark of at least 85% overall must be obtained.Also an achievement of at least 40% of the available marks on the final exam, and at least 40% of the available marks for the practical work, must be obtained. |
Additional course grading information
Marks for each item in the assessment program will be added up, according to the weightings shown in the Assessment Summary. If the marks total for a student is above the cut-offs for a particular grade, the student will be awarded that grade.
To obtain a grade of 4 or higher, students must meet the following requirements
- An achievement of at least 40% of available marks ﾠin the final exam
- An achievement of at least 40% of available marks in the laboratory component of the course
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is not available for some items in this course.
Should you fail a course with a grade of 3 you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply. Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.
Supplementary assessment is not available if you have failed the laboratory component of this course. The learning objects of the laboratory components are demonstrated throughout the semester and it is not possible to validly reassess these learning objectives in the supplementary assessment period.
If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.
Supplementary assessment in this course will be a 2-hour examination similar in style to the end-of-semester examination. To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment.
Additional assessment information
Artificial Intelligence
The assessment tasks in this course evaluate students’ abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Applications for Extensions to Assessment Due Dates
Extension requests are submitted online via my.UQ – applying for an extension. Extension requests received in any other way will not be approved. Additional details associated with extension requests, including acceptable and unacceptable reasons, may be found at my.UQ.
Please note:
- Requests for an extension to an assessment due date must be submitted through your my.UQ portal and you must provide documentation of your circumstances, as soon as it becomes evident that an extension is needed. Your application must be submitted on or before the assessment item's due date and time.
- Applications for extension can take time to be processed so you should continue to work on your assessment item while awaiting a decision. We recommend that you submit any completed work by the due date, and this will be marked if your application is not approved. Should your application be approved, then you will be able to resubmit by the agreed revised due date.
- If an extension is approved, you will be notified via your my.UQ portal and the new date and time for submission provided. It is important that you check the revised date as it may differ from the date that you requested.
- If the basis of the application is a medical condition, applications should be accompanied by a medical certificate dated prior to the assignment due date. If you are unable to provide documentation to support your application by the due date and time you must still submit your application on time and attach a written statement (Word document) outlining why you cannot provide the documentation. You must then upload the documentation to the portal within 24 hours.
- If an extension is being sought on the basis of exceptional circumstances, it must be accompanied by supporting documentation (eg. Statutory declaration).
- For extensions based on a SAP you may be granted a maximum of 7 days (if no earlier maximum date applies). See the Extension or Deferral availability section of each assessment for details. Your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, additional extension requests for the assessment item will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g., a medical certificate. All extension requests must be received by the assessment due date and time.
- Students may be asked to submit evidence of work completed to date. Lack of adequate progress on your assessment item may result in an extension being denied.
- If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, you are advised to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester. You might be eligible to withdraw without academic penalty - seek advice from the Faculty that administers your program.
- There are no provisions for exemption from an assessment item within UQ rules. If you are unable to submit an assessment piece then, under special circumstances, you may be granted an exemption, but may be required to submit alternative assessment to ensure all learning outcomes are met.
Applications to defer an exam
In certain circumstances you can apply to take a deferred examination for in-semester and end-of-semester exams. You'll need to demonstrate through supporting documentation how unavoidable circumstances prevented you from sitting your exam. If you can’t, you can apply for a one-off discretionary deferred exam.
Deferred Exam requests are submitted online via mySi-net. Requests received in any other way will not be approved. Additional details associated with deferred examinations, including acceptable and unacceptable reasons may be found at my.UQ.
Please note:
- Applications can be submitted no later than 5 calendar days after the date of the original exam.
- There are no provisions to defer a deferred exam. You need to be available to sit your deferred examination.
- Your deferred examination request(s) must have a status of "submitted" in mySI-net to be assessed.
- All applications for deferred in-semester examinations are assessed by the relevant school. Applications for deferred end-of-semester examinations are assessed by the Academic Services Division.
- You’ll receive an email to your student email account when the status of your application is updated.
- If you have a medical condition, mental health condition or disability and require alternative arrangements for your deferred exam you’ll need to complete the online alternative exam arrangements through my.UQ. This is in addition to your deferred examinations request. You need to submit this request on the same day as your request for a deferred exam or supplementary assessment. Contact Student Services if you need assistance completing your alternative exam arrangements request.
Authorship
Unless specified as group assessment, all assessment is individual.ﾠAll submitted items must be the student's own original work. We strongly recommend that you write up all assessable items (problem sets and laboratory reports) on your own.
Students found to have colluded or to have copied material from other students (past or present), from websites or from other sources without acknowledgement will be referred to a University Academic Integrity Officer for consideration of disciplinary action. Read the Policies & Guidelines section on Plagiarism for further information on the university's approach.
Assessment re-mark
Should you wish to query the grade awarded for a problem set or a laboratory report then, in the first instance, you should discuss the marking with the relevant tutor. If you would like to further query the grade then contact the course coordinator. You will need to provide written support in the form of an academic justification of why you disagree with the grade awarded.
A request for a re-mark of the exam must be submitted following the procedures given in my.UQ.ﾠ
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
A course-specific Ed discussion forum will be used. Access it from the Blackboard course site.
The Physics Learning Centre (PLC) will operate in-person and online, during Week 2-13 of semester, and in "Swat Vac" immediately after classes end. You can drop into the P.L.C. any time during its opening hours to get assistance from a tutor. This support is in addition to your usual tutorial sessions.
In-person PLC sessions operate every weekday, 12:30-1:30 pm. Location: Parnell Building (07), Room 208 (Physics Student Tea Room).
Online, head to the Ed Discussion Board for the PLC. You can ask a question any time on the discussion board (and can be anonymous), or you can request a Zoom meeting for a live, online session.
Course staff are more than happy to discuss your attempts to do questions from past exams, but solutions to past exams will not be published en masse.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks |
Lecture |
Lectures Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05 |
Not Timetabled |
Personal study time Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05 |
|
Practical |
Labs Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05 |
|
Tutorial |
Tutorials Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.