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238 Contributions
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Living Physics Portal Team
NEXUS Physics
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Pedagogical Methods Used
Peer Instruction / Think-Pair-Share, Collaborative problem-solving, Conceptually-oriented activities, Context-rich problems, Ranking tasks, Mathematically-focused activities, Experimentally-focused activities, Tutorials
Life Sciences Focus
Write a few short phrases describing the areas of life science that you focus on in your teaching.
640 characters remaining.Focus on mathematical modeling. Viscous and drag forces, Reynolds’ number; resistive fluid flow; Random motion, Fick’s laws, and the implication of thermal motion for cellular biology; Understanding binding energy and the source of energy in chemical reactions; Entropy, micro and macro-states, and free energy; Energy exchange among mechanical, thermal, and chemical energies; physics in cellular and biochemistry; Interactions of photons with matter and discrete molecular energy levels.
Education Research and Pedagogy Expertise
Write a few short phrases describing areas of education research or pedagogy where you have particular expertise that you could share with other users.
640 characters remaining.Cognitive modeling of student thinking, issues in interdisciplinary instruction. Epistemological resources and epistemic games. Use of mathematics in science.
Describe the courses that you teach for life sciences students
Write a short paragraph.
640 characters remaining.Fundamentals of Physics for the Life Sciences I and II (NEXUS Physics): A two semester class for bio and life science majors. Intended to fit in the middle of their program and to interact with it. Biology, chemistry, and calculus, and it is designed to help with physical issues in upper division biology classes. There is an emphasis on molecular and cellular issues rather than on physiology.
What is your approach to teaching physics for life science students?
Write a short paragraph.
640 characters remaining.I focus my IPLS instruction on issues that complement and support the instruction that my students receive in their biology and chemistry classes. This has implications on many levels includes broad issues such as learning how to think with and interpret symbolic equations, to understand thinking about physical mechanism, and to understand science as modeling, and specific issues, such as helping students understand diffusion, fluid flow, chemical binding, and entropy. I teach physics to demonstrate that taking a physics perspective often can provide deeper understanding of what they have learning in biology and chemistry classes.
CONTRIBUTIONS
Using math in physics - Dimensional analysis
Remote Learning, Instructor supplement, Student reading, Lecture materials, Clicker question, In-class activity, Homework, Restricted access, Exam problemAn introduction to dimensional analysis with readings, problems, and examples throughout the curriculum. Problems available in Expert TA.
Molecular and Cellular Biology
Classical Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, Oscillations & Waves, Thermo & Stat Mech, Electricity & Magnetism
Dimensional analysis - Introduction
Remote Learning, Instructor supplementDimensional analysis - Student Readings
Remote Learning, Student readingDimensional analysis - In-Class Slides
Remote Learning, Lecture materials, Clicker questionDimensional analysis - Classroom Activities
Remote Learning, In-class activity, Homework, Restricted accessTwo extended groupwork activities that can help students get a handle on dimensional analysis.
Human and Animal Physiology, Medical Applications, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Hagen-Poiseuille Equation, Conductors and Insulators
DA of the HP equation
Remote Learning, In-class activityDA of the Debye length
Remote Learning, Homework, In-class activity, Restricted accessDimensional Analysis - Problems with Solutions
Remote Learning, Instructor supplement, Homework, Restricted access, Exam problemHomework problems using dimensional analysis throughout the curriculum
None
Classical Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, Oscillations & Waves, Thermo & Stat Mech, Electricity & Magnetism
DA Problems - Units
Remote Learning, Homework, Restricted accessDA Problems - Functional Dependence Table Problems
Remote Learning, Homework, Exam problem, Restricted accessDimensional Analysis - Essay questions
Remote Learning, Homework, Restricted accessDA Problems - General
Remote Learning, Homework, Restricted accessDA Problems - Specific Physics Topics
Remote Learning, Homework, Restricted accessHomework problems using dimensional analysis throughout the curriculum sorted by physics topics
None
Classical Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, Oscillations & Waves, Thermo & Stat Mech, Electricity & Magnetism
Kinematics
Remote Learning, Homework, Restricted accessNewtonian dynamics
Remote Learning, Homework, Restricted accessElectric forces
Remote Learning, Homework, Restricted accessSolids
Remote Learning, Homework, Restricted accessFluids
Remote Learning, Homework, Restricted accessDiffusion
Remote Learning, Homework, Restricted accessElectric current
Remote Learning, Homework, Restricted accessThe Harmonic Oscillator
Remote Learning, Homework, Restricted accessWaves
Remote Learning, Homework, Restricted accessLight
Remote Learning, Homework, Restricted accessDimensional Analysis Quiz and Exam Problems
Remote Learning, Homework, Exam problemUsing math in physics - Reading the physics in a graph
Instructor supplement, Restricted access, Student reading, In-class activity, Homework, Exam problema module to help students build physical intuition by learning to read the physics in graphs
Animal Biomechanics, Cellular Structure, Healthy Cardiovascular Function, Healthy Neural Function, Cellular Structure
Motion in One Dimension, Motion in Two Dimensions, Newton's Second Law, Newton's Third Law, Applications of Newton's Laws, Work and Energy, Linear Momentum, Electric Fields and Potential, Capacitance, DC Circuits, Oscillations, Probability, Transverse Pulses and Waves, Standing Waves, Wave Packets, Interference and Diffraction, Interference From Two Sources
Reading the physics in a graph - Introduction
Instructor supplement, Restricted accessReading the physics in a graph - Student readings
Student readingReading the physics in a graph - Classroom activities
In-class activityReading the physics in a graph - Problems with solution
Homework, Restricted access, Instructor supplement, In-class activityA collection of homework problems with solutions from across the curriculum that require students to interpret graphs physically
Animal Biomechanics, Cellular Structure, Healthy Cardiovascular Function, Healthy Neural Function, Cellular Structure
Motion in One Dimension, Motion in Two Dimensions, Newton's Second Law, Newton's Third Law, Applications of Newton's Laws, Work and Energy, Linear Momentum, Electric Fields and Potential, Capacitance, DC Circuits, Oscillations, Probability, Transverse Pulses and Waves, Standing Waves, Wave Packets, Interference and Diffraction, Interference From Two Sources
Reading the physics in a graph - Kinematics problems
Homework, Restricted access, Instructor supplementReading the physics in a graph - Newton's law problems
Homework, Restricted access, Instructor supplementReading the physics in a graph - Models of forces
Homework, Instructor supplement, Restricted accessReading the physics in a graph - Coherent vs random motion
Homework, Instructor supplement, Restricted accessReading the physics in a graph - Fluids
Homework, Instructor supplement, Restricted accessReading the physics in a graph - Mechanical energy
Homework, Instructor supplement, Restricted accessReading the physics in a graph - Chemical energy
Homework, Instructor supplement, Restricted accessReading the physics in a graph - Thermodynamics and statistical physics
Homework, Instructor supplement, Restricted accessReading the physics in a graph - Electric fields, potentials, and currents
Homework, Instructor supplement, Restricted accessReading the physics in a graph - Oscillations
Homework, Instructor supplement, Restricted access, In-class activityReading the physics in a graphs - Waves
Homework, Instructor supplement, Restricted accessReading the physics in a graph - Light
Homework, Instructor supplement, Restricted accessReading the physics in a graph - Quiz and exam problems
Exam problem, Restricted accessexam problems to help students build physical intuition by learning to read the physics in graphs
Animal Biomechanics, Cellular Structure, Healthy Cardiovascular Function, Healthy Neural Function, Cellular Structure
Motion in One Dimension, Motion in Two Dimensions, Newton's Second Law, Newton's Third Law, Applications of Newton's Laws, Work and Energy, Linear Momentum, Electric Fields and Potential, Capacitance, DC Circuits, Oscillations, Probability, Transverse Pulses and Waves, Standing Waves, Wave Packets, Interference and Diffraction, Interference From Two Sources
Associated portal materials
Instructor supplement, Restricted accessThe NEXUS Physics Wikibook Printable Version (ver 0.8)
Remote Learning, Instructor supplement, Student reading, Pre-class assignmentA free set of readings for a one year IPLS course. Available as a PDF file or as free webpages. (version 0.8)
Cross-cutting Biological Concepts
Motion in One Dimension, Motion in Two Dimensions, Newton's First Law, Newton's Second Law, Newton's Third Law, Applications of Newton's Laws, Work and Energy, Linear Momentum, Electrostatics, Electric Fields and Potential, Capacitance, Resistance, DC Circuits, Surface Tension, Statics of Fluids, Geometrical Optics, Interference, Oscillations, Wave Motion, Second and Third Law, Probability, Ensembles, Diffusion
NEXUS Physics printable text - front matter
Remote Learning, Instructor supplement, Student readingA free set of readings for a one year IPLS course. Available as a PDF file or as free webpages. (version 0.8)
Cross-cutting Biological Concepts
Motion in One Dimension, Motion in Two Dimensions, Newton's First Law, Newton's Second Law, Newton's Third Law, Applications of Newton's Laws, Work and Energy, Linear Momentum, Electrostatics, Electric Fields and Potential, Capacitance, Resistance, DC Circuits, Surface Tension, Statics of Fluids, Geometrical Optics, Interference, Oscillations, Wave Motion, Second and Third Law, Probability, Ensembles, Diffusion
Text materials for printing
Remote Learning, Student readingThe text materials from the NEXUS Physics wiki book available for printing or distributing as a pdf file (with links). Version 0.8.
Cross-cutting Biological Concepts
Motion in One Dimension, Motion in Two Dimensions, Newton's First Law, Newton's Second Law, Newton's Third Law, Applications of Newton's Laws, Work and Energy, Linear Momentum, Electrostatics, Electric Fields and Potential, Capacitance, Resistance, DC Circuits, Surface Tension, Statics of Fluids, Geometrical Optics, Interference, Oscillations, Wave Motion, Second and Third Law, Probability, Ensembles, Diffusion
NEXUS Physics text - Workouts
Remote Learning, Pre-class assignmentA set of ~60 short activities exploring topics in the NEXUS Physics wikibook using simulations.
Cross-cutting Biological Concepts
Motion in One Dimension, Motion in Two Dimensions, Newton's First Law, Newton's Second Law, Newton's Third Law, Applications of Newton's Laws, Work and Energy, Linear Momentum, Electrostatics, Electric Fields and Potential, Capacitance, Resistance, DC Circuits, Surface Tension, Statics of Fluids, Geometrical Optics, Interference, Oscillations, Wave Motion, Second and Third Law, Probability, Ensembles, Diffusion
NEXUS Physics Wikibook Online (current version)
Remote Learning, Student readingA free set of readings for a one year IPLS course. Available as a PDF file or as free webpages. (version 0.8)
Cross-cutting Biological Concepts
Motion in One Dimension, Motion in Two Dimensions, Newton's First Law, Newton's Second Law, Newton's Third Law, Applications of Newton's Laws, Work and Energy, Linear Momentum, Electrostatics, Electric Fields and Potential, Capacitance, Resistance, DC Circuits, Surface Tension, Statics of Fluids, Geometrical Optics, Interference, Oscillations, Wave Motion, Second and Third Law, Probability, Ensembles, Diffusion
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Resources and community for teaching physics for life sciences
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an activity for students to work on during a class or recitation session such as a tutorial or group problem
a question that is presented to the whole class, students discuss and immediate feedback is gathered, often using a classroom response system
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