Course Details
Level: B.Tech I
Course: PHYS 105
Credit Hours: 3
Semester: II
Instruction: In-Person
Course Objectives
Biophysics integrates physical concepts into biology, recognizing that laws of physics apply to living systems. This course frames biology through a physical science lens, emphasizing theoretical approaches and interdisciplinary integration.
Instructor Information
Utsav Siwakoti
Email: [email protected]
Grading Policy
| Attendance | 5% |
| Homework Problems | 10% |
| Internal Exams (2) | 5% + 5% |
| Practical Exam | 25% |
| Final Exam | 50% |
Important Requirements:
- Students must obtain a combined minimum of 10% from Attendance, Homework, and Internal Exams to be eligible for the final exam.
- Failure to meet minimum requirements results in an NQ (Not Qualified) grade.
- NQ students cannot appear for final examinations.
- All practical exams must be attempted regardless of NQ status.
Course Outline & Hours (Total 45)
- 1. Introduction (1h): Biophysics overview, physics and biology development, living vs nonliving, reductionism.
- 2. Wave Mechanics (4h): Wave mechanical atom model, Schrödinger equation, wavefunction properties, particle in a box.
- 3. Electronic Structure of Atoms (7h): Bohr model, hydrogen spectra, orbitals, Pauli principle, Zeeman and Stark effects.
- 4. Structure of Molecules (4h): Interaction energies, dipoles, bonding types, molecular orbitals, hybridization.
- 5. Molecular Physics (4h): Electronic, rotational, vibration-rotation spectra, fluorescence, phosphorescence.
- 6. Structural Analysis Techniques (4h): NMR, X-ray diffraction, STM, SEM, AFM.
- 7. Biological Transport (7h): Diffusion, Fick’s laws, random walk, osmosis, membrane transport.
- 8. Transport & Electrochemical Potential (4h): Electrochemical potentials, fluxes, osmotic pressure examples.
- 9. Biological Thermodynamics (3h): Chemical equilibria, Nernst potential, active transport, resting potentials.
- 10. Neurobiophysics (4h): Nerve cells, resting/action potentials, voltage clamp, synaptic transmission.
- 11. Sensory Systems (3h): Receptors (photoreceptors, auditory hair cells), chemical and somatic receptors.
Textbooks & References
- Sybesma, C. Biophysics: An Introduction, Kluwer.
- Cotterill, R. Biophysics: An Introduction, Wiley.
- Murugeshan, R. Modern Physics, S. Chand.
Additional References:
- Claycomb & Tran, Introductory Biophysics, Jones & Bartlett.
- Banerjee, Introduction to Biophysics, S. Chand.
- Tuszynski & Kurzynski, Intro to Molecular Biophysics, CRC Press.