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CS92PROD
Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences

MB&B 381
Spring 2015
Section: 01  
Crosslisting: CHEM 381, MB&B 581
Certificates: Environmental Studies, Molecular Biophysics, Molecular Biophysics

The course is concerned with the basic physicochemical principles and model systems essential to understanding, explaining, and predicting the behavior of biological systems in terms of molecular forces. PCLS integrates fundamental concepts in thermodynamics, kinetics, and molecular spectroscopy with the structures, functions, and molecular mechanisms of biological processes. The objective of the course is to (a) familiarize life science students at the advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate level with basic physico-chemical laws, theories, and concepts important to the life sciences, (b) provide a working knowledge of mathematical methods useful in the life science research, (c) develop a critical perspective on explanation of biological processes and understanding biological systems, and (d) survey the main applications of physical chemistry in the life sciences with an emphasis on spectroscopy and microscopy. Theory, methodology, and biophysical concepts are distributed throughout the course and are presented in the context of case studies including respiration, light harvesting and photosynthesis, ATP hydrolysis, NAD/NADH redox, energy transfer, FRET spectroscopy, with an emphasis on single molecule as well as ensemble experiments and their interpretation.
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: NSM MB&B
Course Format: LectureGrading Mode: Graded
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: (CHEM141 AND CHEM142 AND MATH117 AND CHEM251) OR (CHEM143 AND CHEM144 AND MATH121 AND CHEM251)
Fulfills a Major Requirement for: (CHEM-MN)(CHEM)(CIS)(ENVS-MN)(ENVS)(IDEA-MN)(MB&B)(MOBI-MN)
Past Enrollment Probability: 90% or above

Last Updated on MAR-28-2024
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