PHYS 30474 How the Human Body Works
Prerequisites: pre-calculus, PHYS 10164 or PHYS 20484 or 20485 or permission of instructor. Three hours of lecture and one two-hour lab per week. This course will explore the fundamental lows and natural processes related to the mechanics, biophysics, and biochemistry of the human body. It is designed for pre-health, kinesiology, biology nursing and physics students who want to understand the foundations and biophysical principles that govern human life. The course will focus on the science of physiological processes from simple mechanical motion, breathing, blood flow and oxygen exchange to vision, neuronal processes and the basics of genetics and proteomics. The biophysical elements of human function and human development in the context of environmental influences and live adaptation will be discussed. The evolution of approaches to understanding physiological functions as it has been governed by modern scientific developments will be briefly discusses. The course will also provide a simple understanding of recent technologies that have been applied to the study of physiological processes like muscle contraction, blood transport, cell function, neuronal processing, and DNA replication.