Fundamentals_of_basic_sciences

CHEMISTRY: Students are presumed to have a good background in high school chemistry and are expected to have previous knowledge on the following subjects: basic structure of atoms; relative atomic and molecular mass; the mole concept; the electronic configuration of atoms; the periodic properties of elements; octet rule and Lewis formula; ionic and covalent bond; balance chemical equations; basic stoichiometric calculations. An entrance test will be used to assess the level of knowledge of the prerequisites. To ensure a proficient participation to the lectures, additional activities (e.g. Connect LearnSmart assignments) will be assigned to students failing some parts of the test.
PHYSICS: According to the THE INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL ADMISSIONS TEST (IMAT) SPECIFICATION students should know the following topics: · Mathematics prerequisites (some of these topics can be found in the textbook, Appendix A): · Algebra and numerical sets [Natural numbers, integers, rational and real numbers. Sorting and comparison: scales and scientific notation. Operations and their properties. Proportions and percentages. Powers with integer and rational exponents, and their properties. Roots and their properties. Logarithms (base 10 and base e) and their properties. Elements of combinatorics. Algebraic and polynomial expressions. Major products and nth power of binomial expansions, factorisation of polynomials. Algebraic fractions. Algebraic equations and inequalities of the first and second order. Systems of equations.] · Functions [Basic concepts of functions and their graphical representations (domain, codomain, sign, continuity, maxima and minima, increasing and decreasing, etc.). Elementary functions: whole and fractional algebraic functions; exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions. Composite and inverse functions. Trigonometric equations and inequalities.] · Geometry [Polygons and their properties. Circle and circumference. Measurements of lengths, surfaces and volumes. Isometries, similarities and equivalences in the plane. Geometric loci. Measurement of angles in degrees and radians. Sine, cosine, tangent of an angle and their significant values. Trigonometric formulas. Solving triangles. Cartesian reference system in a plane. Distance between two points and the midpoint of a segment. Straight line equation. Conditions for parallel and perpendicular lines. Distance of a point to a line. Equation of the circle, the parabola, the hyperbola, the ellipse and their representation in the Cartesian plane. Pythagoras' theorem. Euclid's first and second theorems.] · Probability and statistics [Frequency distributions and their graphical representations. Concept of random experiments and events. Probability and frequency.] · Physics prerequisites (all these topics can be found in the textbook, as specified below): · Measures [Direct and indirect measures, fundamental and derived quantities, physical dimensions of quantities, knowledge of the metric system and the CGS System of Units, Technical (or practical) (ST) and International System (SI) units of measurement (names and relationships between fundamental and derived units), multiples and sub-multiples (names and values).] Textbook: 1.5; Appendix B1 to B5 · Kinematics [Kinematic quantities, various types of motion with particular regard to uniform and uniformly accelerating rectilinear motion; uniform circular motion; harmonic motion (for all motions: definition and relationships between quantities).] Textbook: from 3.1 to 3.3; 4.1; 4.2; 4.4; 4.5; 5.1; 5.2; 5.5; 5.6; from 10.5 to 10.7. · Dynamics [Vectors and vector operations. Forces, moments of forces about a point. Moment of a force couple. Vector composition of forces. Definition of mass and weight. Acceleration due to gravity. Density and specific gravity. The law of universal gravitation, 1st, 2nd and 3rd laws of motion. Work, kinetic energy, potential energy. Principle of conservation of energy. Impulse and momentum. Principle of conservation of momentum.] Textbook: Appendix A10; from 2.1 to 2.9; 3.4; 4.3; 4.6; 5.7; from 6.1 to 6.8 (except 6.5); from 7.1 to 7.4; 8.2. · Fluid mechanics [Pressure, and its unit of measure (not only in the SI system). Archimedes' Principle. Pascal's principle. Stevino's law.] Textbook: from 9.2 to 9.6 (except 9.5) · Thermodynamics [Thermometry and calorimetry. Thermal capacity and specific heat capacity. Modes of heat propagation. Changes of state and latent heats. Ideal Gas Laws. First and second laws of thermodynamics.] Textbook: from 13.1 to 13.5 (except 13.4); from 14.1 to 14.8; from 15.1 to 15.4; 15.8 · Electrostatic and electrodynamics [Coulomb's law. Electric field and potential. Dielectric constant. Capacitors. Capacitors in series and in parallel. Direct current. Ohm's Law. Kirchhoff's Principles. Electrical resistance and resistivity, electrical resistances in series and in parallel. Work, Power, Joule effect. Generators. Electromagnetic induction and alternating currents. Effects of electrical currents (thermal, chemical and magnetic).] Textbook: from 16.1 to 16.4; from 17.1 to 17.6; from 18.1 to 18.8 (except 18.3); from 20.1 to 20.4; 20.8; 20.9; 21.1; 21.2. We strongly advise each student to carefully review the list above and to enter the classroom with a knowledge of the listed topics that is sufficient to attend proficiently the physics lectures. The concepts corresponding to the prerequisites will be revised quickly and then applied to the specific areas discussed in this module. An entrance test will be used to assess the level of knowledge of the prerequisites. To ensure a proficient participation to the lectures, additional ungraded activities (e.g. Connect LearnSmart assignments) will be assigned to students failing some parts of the test.