DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL SCIENCES
SYLLABUS
GENERAL PHYSICS II
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This is the second of a two-semester sequence of algebra-based, introductory physics with
laboratory integrated with other class activities. An interdisciplinary focus is used throughout,
especially in the area of the life and health sciences.
Prerequisite:
General Physics 1 (PHY160)
Pre-calculus - Algebra and trigonometry will be used extensively in this course.
Catalogue Description: PHYS160-161
Introduction to the general physical principles in the fields of mechanics, heat, sound, light,
magnetism, electricity, atomic and nuclear physics, and problem solving techniques.
Prerequisite: Math 201, or the equivalent; PHYS160 is a prerequisite for PHYS161. 3 hrs. lect.
3 hrs. lab per semester. 4 crs. per semester.
Relationship to programs:
o Satisfies General Physics 2 requirement for Mercy’s Exercise Science Program
o Satisfies General Physics 2 or equivalent prerequisite for admission to Mercy’s graduate
Physical Therapy program and to physical therapy programs in other institutions
o Satisfies General Physics 2 or equivalent prerequisite for admission to medical,
veterinary, dental, osteopathic, chiropractic, and optometry school.
o Highly recommended for students in the Biology program who are planning to go
graduate school.
REQUIRED:
o Scientific calculator (trigonometric functions, logarithms, exponents, scientific notation)
o Register for MasteringPhysics (online homework and tutoring system) associated with
Knight, Jones & Field (2010) College Physics 2nd Edition Addison-Wesley
o General Physics text of your choice, or open source General Physics text:
http://openstaxcollege.org/textbooks/college-physics/get
RECOMMENDED TEXT:
Knight, Jones & Field (2010) College Physics 2nd Edition Addison-Wesley
ISBN-13: 978-0321595492
Websites: Major Educational Interactive Animations activity collections
Phet http://phet.colorado.edu/index.php
ActivPhysics h ttp://wps.aw.com/aw_young_physics_11/13/3510/898588.cw/nav_and_content/index.html
BU Duffy http://physics.bu.edu/~duffy/semester2/
Molecular Workbench http://workbench.concord.org/database/browse/everything1
http://mw.concord.org/modeler/
Molecular Expressions http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/lightandcolor/java.html
7 Stones Virtual Physics http://www.7stones.com/Homepage/Publisher/7physics.html
Falstad http://www.falstad.com/mathphysics.html
Physics Tutorial/Animation Collections
Physics Classroom Multimedia Physics Studio http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/index.cfm
Hyperphysics http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hframe.html
Acoustics and Vibration Animations http://paws.kettering.edu/~drussell/demos.html
COURSE GOALS:
To better prepare our students, who are all taking this course as a preparation for careers in the
life or health sciences, the course goals and student learning outcomes are guided by the
following recommendations:
 AAMC-HHMI Scientific Foundations for Future Physicians, the pre-med competency
recommendation made by the American Association of Medical Colleges, 2010
o Apply quantitative reasoning and appropriate mathematics to describe or explain
phenomena in the natural world.
o Demonstrate understanding of the process of scientific inquiry, and explain how
scientific knowledge is discovered and validated.
o Demonstrate knowledge of basic physical principles and their applications to the
understanding of living systems.
o Demonstrate knowledge of basic principles of chemistry and some of their
applications to the understanding of living systems.
o Demonstrate knowledge of how biomolecules contribute to the structure and function
of cells.
o Apply understanding of principles of how molecular and cell assemblies, organs, and
organisms develop structure and carry out function.
o Explain how organisms sense and control their internal environment and how they
respond to external change.
o Demonstrate an understanding of how the organizing principle of evolution by natural
selection explains the diversity of life on earth.

Vision for Change in Undergraduate Biology Education, by the American Association for
the Advancement of Science 2011
o Apply the process of science
 Observational strategies
 Evaluation of experimental evidence
 Developing problem solving strategies
o Ability to use quantitative reasoning
 Developing and interpreting graphs
 Mathematical modeling
o Ability to use modeling and simulation
o Ability to tap into the interdisciplinary nature of science
 Applying physical laws to biological dynamics
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o Ability to communicate and collaborate with other disciplines
o Ability to understand the relationship between science and society

Bio2010:Transforming Undergraduate Education for Future Research Biologists, by the
National Research Council, 2003
This course also aims to reinforce the scientific foundations outlined in A Framework for K-12
Science Education, by the National Science Foundation, 2012, and the Next Generation Science
Standards, for K-12, 2013
 Asking Questions and Defining Problems
 Developing and Using Models
 Planning and Carrying out Investigations
 Analyzing and Interpreting Data
 Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
 Constructing Explanations and designing Solutions
 Engaging I Argument from Evidence
 Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Course Goals
Scientific Inquiry
 Develop a practice of creative inquiry into the physical basis of natural phenomena;
asking questions and defining problems
 Develop observational and interpretive skills through hands-on laboratory
 Develop facility using up-to-date measurement techniques to elucidate physical
phenomena
Interdisciplinary Thinking
 Ability to make connections between biology and the physical sciences is developed and
reinforced so that interdisciplinary thinking becomes second nature
Quantitative Reasoning
 Facility with the kinds of functional relationships among physical quantities that are
prevalent in the natural world
 Create and use mathematical models
 Create and interpret visual displays of data
Basic Physical Principles
 Recognize basic physical principles in a variety of natural processes at different scales,
from the molecular to the organismal.
 Apply foundational principles of change and interaction to the understanding of living
systems.
Synergy
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
Be able to apply physical principles at different scales to more complex natural
processes, as is typically manifest in living systems.
Communication
 Be able to discuss physical phenomena using appropriate physics terminology
 Be able to articulate sense-making in discussion of physical processes in nature
 Be able to evaluate and critique information about possible physical mechanisms of
biological processes
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Quantitative Reasoning
After completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Express and analyze natural phenomena in quantitative terms that include an understanding
of the natural prevalence of basic functional relationships
 Proportional relationships
 Linear relationships
 Quadratic relationships
 Inverse relationships
 Inverse square relationships
 Logarithmic/exponential relationships
 Periodic relationships
2. Use units of measurable quantities; dimensional analysis and unit conversion
3. Identify functional relationships from visually represented data
 Interpret graphical representations of data
 Physical meaning of
o Slope
o Area under curve
o Y-intercept
 Describe graphical functional relationships in mathematical form
 Interpret frequency spectrums
o Draw and interpret Visual display of
 Vectors
 Vector fields
o Electric fields
o Magnetic fields
4. Model
 Be able to mathematically model pertinent aspects of a natural phenomenon in terms
of functional relationships of measurable quantities
 Make inferences about natural phenomena using mathematical models
 Be able to articulate in words what relationships a mathematical model is expressing
 Be able to discuss limitations of models, the simplifications and approximations
made, and the temporal and spatial scale in which it is relevant.
5. Quantify and interpret changes in dynamical systems
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
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Exponential functions
 Damping
 Capacitance circuits
 Radioactive decay
 Attenuation/absorbtion
Oscillations
o Simple harmonic motion
 Resonance
 Damping
Waves
Electrical systems
Electromagnetic Induction
Scientific Inquiry
After completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate creative inquiry into the physical basis of natural phenomena by asking
questions and defining problems.
2. Demonstrate observational and interpretive skills
 Hands-on activities in virtually every class
 Articulate reasoning to explain or question data
3. Operate basic laboratory instrumentation for scientific measurement, interpretation, and
analysis.
 Computer-acquisition and analysis of data using:
o temperature sensors,
o pressure sensors,
o sound sensors,
o voltage and current sensors,
o magnetic field sensors,
o light, UV, and infrared sensors
o Geiger counter sensor
 Optics benches, multimeters, infrared camera
4. Search effectively, evaluate critically, and communicate analysis of scientific literature.
 Literature search and review as part of student project.
Basic physical principles
After completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Apply principles of electricity and magnetism to biological systems
 Electrical forces, fields and potential:
o Endogenous: cell membrane, action potentials, epithelial, intracellular
o Electrocytes and electric field detection by fish
o Electrostatic basis of chemical structure and function
o Diagnostic – ECG, EMG, EEG
o Therapeutic – Wound healing, electroporation, ionosphoresis, defribillation
 Electric current and circuits
o Nerve conduction
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o Resistivity/Impedance of bodily tissues, GRS, body fat composition
o Electrical Safety: household and therapeutic
o Magnetism and Electromagnetic induction
o Diagnostic and therapeutic techniques using magnetism: MRI, bone repair
o Endogenous magnetic fields of living systems
o Magnetic sensing by animals
o Electrical power generation
o Electromagnetic waves
o Natural and manmade sources and receivers at all scales of the EM spectrum
3. Apply physical principles of wave generation and propagation to application to living systems
 Matter Waves
o Sound, Hearing, and Speech
o Diagnostic and Therapeutic Ultrasound
 Electromagnetic Waves
o Bodily effects at all scales in the electromagnetic spectrum
o Diagnostic, therapeutic, and research uses at all scales in the spectrum
o In everyday human use
 Geometric optics
o Image formation in the eye and in microscopes
o Fiber optics in medical scopes
 Wave optics
o Image resolution in the eye and in microscopes
o X-ray diffraction for biomolecular structure determination
o Double slit and diffraction used for evidence of particle-wave duality
5. Apply principles of quantum mechanics and nuclear physics to the application to biological
systems.
 Wave-particle duality as a basis for atomic and molecular energy levels and orbitals in
biochemical structure and function,
 Quantum basis of biomedical investigative tool: spectroscopy, lasers, MRI
 Atomic/molecular energy levels and the origin of light and ionizing radiation
 Interaction of exogenous electromagnetic radiation with atoms and molecules of living
systems in all scales of spectrum.
 Radioactivity: isotopes as biological tracers
 Biological effects of nuclear radiation
 Nuclear fission and fusion for educated citizenship
Synergy of principles in complex living systems
After completion of this course, students should be able to apply physical principles
synergistically to topics in at least 4 of the following areas:
1. Apply principles of electrostatics, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics to biochemical
processes. Examples:
o Ionic and covalent bonding, Van der Waals interactions, hydrogen bonding
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o
o
o
o
o
Hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity driving molecular association.
Structure of biological macromolecules and the effect of structure on properties.
Biosynthesis: DNA, RNA transcription, self assembly, protein folding
Energy storage in fatty acids and ATP and the transduction to functional activity
Spontaneity of biochemical processes
2. Apply physical principles to the function of cells, tissues, organs, and organisms. Examples:
o Physical mechanisms of cellular function:
o Energy conversion and metabolism
o Membrane structure and function
o Cell transport and storage
o Molecular motors, muscle contraction and cell motility
o Physical mechanisms of functional properties of tissues and organs.
o Nervous system
o Respiratory system
o Circulatory system
3. Explain the physical basis of the mechanisms by which organisms sense and control their
internal environment, sense and respond to their external environment. Examples:
 Energy in bodily processes
 Homeostasis, feedback
 Reception and transduction of receptor signals
 Eyes and Vision
 Ears and Hearing
 Signaling: inter- and intracellular communication
4. Explain the physical basis of possible mechanisms of occupational and physical therapy
modalities. Examples:
o Electrical Stimulation – biofeedback, repatterning, muscular strengthening, tissue repair,
pain management, wound healing
o Therapeutic ultrasound
o Laser light therapy
o Transdermal drug delivery (ionphoresis and phonophoresis)
o Vibration/Rhythm (rocking, swinging, vibration plate)
5. Apply physics principles to medical treatment and diagnostic tools. Examples:
 Imaging (ultrasound, x-rays, Cat scan, MRI, infrared, radioactive tracers, PET)
 Surgical or tumor destruction (cauterization, laser, gamma knife, electroporation)
 Nuclear medicine
 Function replacement (heart, limb, joint)
 Electrical (ECG, EMG, EEG, GRS, nerve conduction)
6. Apply physics principles to biomedical and biophysics research techniques. Examples:
 Electrophoresis, chromatography, DNA analysis
 Voltage dyes, ion patch clamp
 Fluorescence microscopy
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Atomic force microscopy
Optical tweezers
Spectroscopy
7. Apply physics principles to health field specializations. Examples:
o Dental
o Decay detection
o Ultrasonic cleaning
o Veterinary
o Distinctive animal communication
o Distinctive sensing; prey detection, magnetic sensing
8. Apply physics principles to living on the earth, in the modern world. Examples:
o Earthquakes
o Electromagnetic effects: Lightning, magnetic storms, man-made electromagnetic fields,
polar auroras, earth’s magnetic and electric fields
o Electrical appliances and computer devices
o Communication
9. Apply physics principles to consider possible mechanisms for alternative and complementary
wellness approaches. Examples:
 Acupuncture
 Bodywork (massage, cranial sacral, chiropractic, reflexology, structural integration,
applied kinesiology, Reiki, therapeupic touch, dance)
 Somatic techniques (yoga, qiqong, tai chi, Gyrotonic, Alexander, Feldenkrais, Pilates)
 Mind/Body (visualization, prayer, hypnosis, meditation, humor/laughter, placebo effect)
 Sound (music therapy, bi-aural entrainment, chanting)
 Electromagnetic ( magnets, bio-field imaging, electrodermal testing, bioresonance, earth
grounding)
 Light (full spectrum, laser, color)
 Accredited alternative health disciplines (naturopathy, osteopathy, oriental medicine)
 Others (homeopathy, iridology, aromatherapy, crystal healing, flower essences)
METHODS USED TO ASSESS STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Suggested:
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Exams/Quizzes: (10%-60%)
Projects: (10%-40%)
Homework: (10%-25% )
Class/Lab Activities: (20%-25%)
COURSE COMPETENCIES: At Mercy College, we want to ensure that the student will be
able to effectively compete for jobs and careers in an increasingly complex world. Therefore, the
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College has focused on six foundational skills that we feel will help students achieve greater
success in college as well as in their career. The student will be expected to meet minimum
levels of achievement for graduation in these six competencies:
Written Communication
Oral Communication
Critical Thinking
Critical Reading
Quantitative Reasoning
Information Literacy
Written Communication: Students’ writing skills will be measured by their ability to articulate
their understanding in writing on exams, in project presentations, and in online discussions.
Oral Communication: Students’ oral communication skills will be measured by the quality of
their engagement in class discussion and collaborative group work, especially during lab
activities. Students will be expected to orally articulate their reasoning for their predictions and
interpretations of data.
Critical Thinking: Students’ critical thinking skills will be measured by the process of inquiry
encouraged by the active classroom activities, and by their self-directed projects.
Critical Reading: Students’ critical reading skills will be measured by their ability to critically
review and evaluate online resources of information and other students’ written work.
Quantitative Reasoning: Quantitative reasoning is a pervasive part of this course. Students will
have to use mathematical models of functional relationships of measurable quantities, analyze
data quantitatively, and be able to interpret visual displays of quantitative data.
Information Literacy: Students will research physics topics of their own choosing.
COURSE ACTIVITIES
This course is taught in a “workshop” style where traditional lecture, lab, and recitation type
activities are integrated. Every class will include a variety of components, such as the
following:

Guided Inquiry - Students will be guided to consider what gaps may exist in their present
understanding of the natural phenomena under consideration. Students will explore
collaboratively in groups, within a process of guided inquiry. Student groups will share
their predictions and thinking with other groups by using group whiteboards.

Hands-on exploration - Students will experience hands-on exploration of natural
phenomena.
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
Computer Data Acquisition and Analysis - Students will collect data using computerinterfaced sensors, and then interpret and analyze the tabular and graphical data output.

Simulations - Educational interactive simulations, both in class and for online homework,
will be used to explore concepts concerning those aspects of topics that are not visibly
apparent.
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Collaboration - Students will work collaboratively in groups to practice applying newly
learned physics concepts to superficially different or increasingly complex scenarios.
Group work is done on group whiteboards. Extensions of those scenarios may be given
for individual practice at home.

Individual Practice - Further individual practice applying physics concepts will be
available as homework based on classroom activities and the online Mastering Physics
tutorial and homework system that includes the end of chapter questions from the text.
Reading a General Physics text will provide additional perspectives and will reinforce
and supplement the material covered in the class activities.

Individual Feedback - Frequent short quizzes, either online or in class, will give feedback
to students about their progress. Homework will be a venue for feedback.

Project - Students will be self-directed with either a semester-long projec, or a series of
mini-projects of which the topic(s) will be of their choosing, within the guidelines of their
instructor,. They will post their project(s) online for commentary and discussion by other
students.
COURSE POLICIES
1. Attendance Policy – It is assumed that a student will attend all classes for which he/she is
registered. Ceasing to attend classes for three consecutive class meetings without contacting
the instructor will result in the issuance of a grade of “FW” which indicates “stopped
attending.” This grade of “FW” will be calculated into the student’s GPA as an “F” and may
result in dismissal. In addition this status will be reported to The Office of Student Services
and may result in a reduction of financial aid monies.
Because this course is participatory in nature and has integrated lab and group activities,
attendance is necessary to do well in the course. Expect lack of attendance or frequent
lateness to be reflected in the course grade.
2. Cheating and Plagiarism – Cheating and plagiarism are contrary to the purpose of any
educational institution and must be dealt with most severely if students’ work is to have any
validity. An instructor who determines that a student has cheated on a test or assignment will
at a minimum give a zero for that item and may give a failure for the course. Normally the
matter is handled between the instructor and the student, but either party to ensure fairness
may consult the department chairperson. Suspicion of cheating on exams (e.g. as when two
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students sitting next to each other have unnaturally similar answers) will result in another
exam taken in place of the original by all parties involved.
Plagiarism, which is the appropriation of words or ideas of another without recognition of the
source, is another form of cheating. An instructor who determines that a student has
plagiarized will give a zero for the paper or project and may give a failure for the course.
Both cheating and plagiarism are grounds for dismissal from the College.
Any action taken regarding cheating or plagiarism is subject to the Academic Grievance
Policy outlined above and in the Student Handbook.
3. Cell Phone Use – Cell phones should be turned off prior to the start of class. Students who do
not abide by this policy may be asked to leave for the day and will receive an unexcused
absence.
Resources
Science Learning Center - in Dobbs Ferry Center for Academic Excellence
Free Physics Tutoring - Hours to be announced
For Tutoring needs, email: tutoring@mercy.edu
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bergethon, P. (2010) The Physical Basis of Biochemistry: The Foundations of Molecular
Biophysics, Springer-Verlag
Tuszynski, J. ( 2007). Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biophysics, Taylor & Francis
Tuszynski ( 2001). Biomedical Applications of Physics, Wiley
Newman, Jay (2008). Physics of the Life Sciences, Springer
Hewitt, Paul (2010). Practicing Physics, Conceptual Physics, Addison-Wesley
Hewitt, Paul (2010). Conceptual Physics 11th edition, Addison-Wesley
Cameron, Skofronick, Grant (1999). Physics of the Body, Medical Physics Publishing
Urone, Peter (2001). College Physics 2nd Edition, Brooks Cole
Urone, Peter (1986). Physics with Health Science Applications, Wiley
Wisneski, L. (2009). The Scientific Basis of Integrative Medicine, CRC Press
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