Unit rationale, description and aim
Physics is the study of matter and the fundamental laws that help us to understand the world we live in. Health professionals and scientists require knowledge of physics to understand the ever growing and changing technologies in medicine, sport and scientific advancement. In this unit, students will develop skills in using the language, logic and laws of physics to describe and explain physical phenomena in nature. They will gain a conceptual understanding of the key themes of motion, forces, energy and waves, which will then be applied to the topics of sound, electricity, electromagnetism, heat, fluids, solids, light, atomic and nuclear processes. Students will be given opportunities to develop analytical, critical thinking and logical reasoning skills, in particular, undertaking assignments that will require the application of physics principles to real life applications and the use of software to analyse data. As the unit takes a conceptual approach to learning, any senior high school mathematics is sufficient background for the unit. This unit will also help students prepare for the physics component of the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT). The aim of this unit is to provide students with a strong foundation of physics knowledge for future study in any health-related sciences.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
State the fundamental facts that are the basis of ...
Learning Outcome 01
Analyse simple situations in terms of physics prin...
Learning Outcome 02
Solve real-world problems using physics and clearl...
Learning Outcome 03
Apply the principles of physics to appropriate hea...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
Motion
- 1-D kinematics (equations of motion for uniformly accelerated motion), scalars and vectors
Forces
- Newton’s laws, 1-D and simple 2-D cases (parabolic and circular motion), conservation of momentum
Energy
- Energy types and transformations, conservation of energy, work, efficiency, power
Waves
- Wave behaviour, wave mathematics
Sound
- Speed of sound, intensity, frequency, resonance, standing waves
Electricity
- Coulomb’s law, resistance, Ohm’s law, series and parallel circuits, electrical power
Electromagnetism
- Magnetic fields, forces on charges, motor effect, electromagnetic induction, electromagnetic waves
Heat
- Temperature, internal energy, conduction, convection, radiation, specific heat capacity, latent heat and change of state
Fluid and Solids
- Density, specific gravity, buoyancy, viscosity, surface tension and fluids in motion
Light
- Light as a wave, light as a particle
Atomic and Nuclear processes
- Atomic structure, emission/absorption spectra, nuclear stability, nuclear decay, nuclear fission and fusion
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment tasks have been designed to assess student knowledge and understanding of theory and application relating to physics. They require students to demonstrate an ability to analyse and solve physics problems that are commonly encountered in nature. The first assessment task is designed to ensure a full understanding of the weekly content taught in content modules. Students will engage with a variety of test questions that will assess their knowledge and understanding of physics principles and theory. The second assessment task will help students develop skills in writing up experiments and will require them to learn physics software to track motion, generate sound waves and design simple circuits. The final assessment task will enable students to make a direct connection of physics principles to their professional practice and communicate these clearly.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1 Quizzes will be used to help ce...
Assessment Task 1
Quizzes will be used to help cement student understanding of concepts taught in lecture modules.
25%
Assessment Task 2 Write up of mini-lab reports of...
Assessment Task 2
Write up of mini-lab reports of experimental work done at home.
35%
Assessment Task 3 Written assignment based on com...
Assessment Task 3
Written assignment based on communicating physics principles in real-world contexts.
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit is delivered online and will enable students to actively engage in learning tasks and to gauge their own progress towards learning the fundamentals of physics. Weekly interactive workbook modules provide an opportunity to learn key physics concepts and to regularly undertake critical thinking and problem-solving activities. Tutorial classes will be provided to help cement understanding of concepts taught in modules and provide opportunities for pairwise or small group activities and discussion. Practical classes will be “at home” experimental work that may use computer software, mobile apps and basic household items. Lectures in this unit are pre-recorded and contained within each module and are made available via ACU's online Learning Management System (LMS). Online support via synchronous and asynchronous sessions, discussion forums and other resources are also available via the LMS.