PAPER NAME – BIOLOGY FOR ENGINEERS

PAPER CODE – BS-BIO301

MODULE NO. – 1

In engineering, studying biology may seem a bit out of place at first, but it plays an important
role in various fields and has numerous practical applications. Designing a medical device,
understanding environmental challenges, or creating bio-inspired technologies, knowledge of
biology can significantly expand the scope of an engineer’s work.

 COMPARISON BETWEEN HUMEN EYE AND CAMERA

Both the human eye and a camera use lenses to focus light, have an aperture to control
light intensity, and capture images based on light and color. Both convert light into
signals
Here some differences are-
Differences between human eye and camera

S.No Category Human Eye Camera

The camera is a technological

1 Definition Human Eyes are sensory organs.
instrument.

Lenses are flexible and change shape Camera lenses are rigid and do not
2 Lens
with the help of muscles. change shape.

Rod and cons are specialized cells There is a simple substance present
Image
3 that convey pictures to the cerebral in the film that preserves the
transport
cortex. visuals.

4 Recording Eyes cannot record pictures. Cameras can record photos, videos.

The human eye functions in three The camera functions in two

5 Dimension
dimension. dimension.

The human eye has a blind spot,

A camera typically does not have a
6 Blind spot which lies where the optic nerve
blind spot.
joins the retina.

Similarities Between Human Eye and Camera

S.No Human eye Camera

Light also enters the camera through an

1 Light enters the human eye via the pupil.
aperture.

The iris regulates the quantity of light

The amount of light is also adjusted in-
2 entering the eye.
camera via the diaphragm.

Focus light and picture on the retina of the Focus light and picture on film in the
3
eye. camera.

4 Eye contains lens. Camera also contains lens.

Evidently, the choroid absorbs light and Black paint in the camera absorbs light
5
minimizes reflection in the eye. and reduces reflections.
Bird flying and aircraft:
Birds flying and aircraft flying both involve the basic principle of flight, but they do so in
different ways due to their unique designs and operating mechanisms. While both birds and
aircraft defy gravity through flight, birds rely on biological structures and instinctual movements,
while aircraft are machines built with precise engineering principles.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BIEDS AND AEROPLANES-

Bernoulli's Principle
Bernoulli's Principle is a fundamental concept in fluid dynamics that describes the relationship
between the pressure, speed, and height of a fluid flow. It states that in an ideal, incompressible,
and non-viscous fluid, the total mechanical energy along a streamline (a path followed by fluid
particles) is constant. This principle is commonly used to explain the behavior of fluids in motion
and is especially important in understanding how lift is generated on an airplane wing.
Bernoulli's Principle in Flight (Lift on Airplane Wings):

The most common application of Bernoulli’s principle is in explaining how airplanes generate
lift.

 Airfoil Shape: The wing of an airplane (airfoil) is designed so that the upper surface is
curved and the lower surface is flatter. As air moves over the wing, the air has to travel a
longer distance over the top surface than along the bottom surface.
 Faster Airflow on Top: Because of the curved shape of the top surface, the air moves
faster over the top of the wing than underneath it. According to Bernoulli’s principle,
faster-moving air has lower pressure.
 Slower Airflow Below: The air moving underneath the wing has to travel a shorter
distance and moves more slowly, so the pressure on the bottom surface of the wing is
higher.
 Lift Generation: The difference in pressure between the top (lower pressure) and the
bottom (higher pressure) of the wing creates an upward force—lift—that counteracts the
weight of the airplane and keeps it in the air.

 Biology as an Independent Scientific Discipline;

Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. Over time, it has evolved into
a distinct and comprehensive field of study that encompasses everything from molecular
processes to ecosystem dynamics. It is an independent scientific discipline because of its
unique focus on the natural world, its methods of investigation, and its wide applications
in medicine, agriculture, conservation, and biotechnology.

 Molecular Biology: Examines the biochemical processes that govern life at the
molecular level, including the study of DNA, proteins, and enzymes.
 Cell Biology: Focuses on the structure and function of cells, the basic units of life.
 Organismal Biology: Investigates individual organisms, their physiology, behavior, and
adaptations to the environment.
 Experimentation: Experimental biology includes designing controlled experiments to test
hypotheses about living systems. This can range from simple experiments in genetics
(e.g., Mendelian crosses) to complex biochemical analyses.
 Medicine: Advancements in biology have led to the development of vaccines, antibiotics,
genetic therapies, diagnostic tools, and personalized medicine. Understanding human
biology is crucial for addressing health issues, disease prevention, and treatment.
 Agriculture: Knowledge of plant biology, genetics, and ecology is essential for improving
crop yields, pest control, and sustainable farming practices. Biotechnology also plays a
role in developing genetically modified crops resistant to disease, drought, or pests.
 Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering: Biology is the foundation for biotechnology,
which involves the manipulation of organisms' genetic material to create new products or
solve problems.
  Synthetic Biology: The creation of new, artificial biological systems or organisms is an
exciting frontier in biology. This includes engineering microbes to produce biofuels,
drugs, or clean water, and designing entirely new biological pathways.

 NEED TO STUDY BIOLOGY:

Studying biology can be both exciting and rewarding, as it offers insights into the fundamental
processes of life and the natural world.

1)Understand Life: Biology provides an understanding of how living organisms function, grow,
reproduce, and interact with their environment.

2) Using Biology for Innovation: Biotechnology applies biological knowledge to create products or
solve problems.

3) Solve Real-World Problems: Biological knowledge is essential for addressing critical challenges
like disease prevention, climate change, food security, and biodiversity conservation.

4) Biomedical Engineering: Biology is foundational in biomedical engineering, which focuses on

creating medical devices, implants, and prosthetics, as well as understanding the biological
processes to design healthcare solutions.

5) Bioinformatics and Computational Biology: Biology in engineering is essential for the design and
development of algorithms, computational models, and data analysis techniques used in
genomics, systems biology, and drug discovery.

6) Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering: Engineering biology helps design and optimize
biotechnological processes. This can include designing genetically modified organisms (GMOs),
developing sustainable biofuels, or creating pharmaceuticals.

 Observation of 18th century:

The 18th century was a pivotal period in the development of biology, marked by significant
advances in scientific thought, exploration, and classification. During this time, many
foundational concepts in biology were established, leading to the eventual development of
modern biological science.

 Aristotle is often called the "father of biology" because of his systematic approach to
studying living organisms and his contributions to the understanding of biology in the
ancient world. Aristotle conducted detailed observations on the anatomy and behavior of
animals and plants, making important strides in understanding the diversity of life.
 Carl Linnaeus is perhaps one of the most influential figures in biology during the 18th
century. He is best known for developing the binomial nomenclature system, a method
for naming and classifying organisms.
  Joseph Banks , an English botanist, was instrumental in the study of plants and their
classification. He served as a naturalist on Captain Cook’s first voyage to the Pacific,
collecting thousands of plant specimens that contributed to the advancement of botanical
knowledge.
 William Harvey had already described blood circulation in the 17th century, but the
18th century saw more detailed studies of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive
systems.

Brownian Motion and the Origin of Thermodynamics:

Brownian motion and the development of thermodynamics are deeply intertwined, with
Brownian motion playing a crucial role in the early understanding of thermodynamic principles.

 Brownian motion refers to the random, jittery movement of tiny particles suspended in a
fluid (such as water or air). These particles, when observed under a microscope, appear
to move erratically and unpredictably.
 The phenomenon was first observed in 1827 by the Scottish botanist Robert Brown. He
was studying pollen grains in water under a microscope and noticed that they moved in a
chaotic, seemingly random fashion. At the time, he could not explain the cause of this
motion.
 Initially, Brown speculated that the motion might be due to the pollen particles having a
life of their own, but he soon ruled out biological causes. He found that even small, non-
living particles (like dust) exhibited similar erratic motion.
 Brownian motion played a critical role in the development of statistical mechanics and
thermodynamics, particularly by confirming the molecular nature of matter and the
random motion of particles.

Overview of Julius Mayer:

Julius Robert Mayer (1814–1878) was a German physician and physicist who made
important contributions to the understanding of energy, particularly the concept of
conservation of energy and the first law of thermodynamics. Mayer's work laid the
groundwork for the study of molecular motion and energy transfer, which are deeply related
to the phenomena observed in Brownian motion.

Here's an overview of his contributions-

 Mayer is best known for his discovery of the conservation of energy principle, which
states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to
another. This was a foundational idea that helped shape the field of thermodynamics.
  In 1842, he formulated the idea that heat is a form of energy and that the heat energy in a
system is related to the motion of particles, a concept that would later be crucial in the
understanding of molecular motion and Brownian motion.
 Mayer proposed that mechanical work (like the motion of a piston) could be converted
into heat and that the energy of a system could be understood as the sum of its internal
energy (due to molecular motion) and external energy. This insight paved the way for
later theories of kinetic energy and thermal energy.

 Laws of Thermosdynamics:

The laws of thermodynamics are a set of fundamental principles that describe how energy
behaves in physical systems, particularly with regard to heat, work, and energy conservation.

 The First Law is the law of energy conservation, stating that energy cannot be
created or destroyed, only transferred or converted from one form to another.

Example of the First Law of Thermodynamics:

Water in a pot is heated by applying heat to the pot. As the temperature of the water increases, it
eventually boils and turns into steam.The heat added to the water increases the internal energy of
the water, raising its temperature until it reaches the boiling point. Once the water boils, the heat
is used to convert liquid water into steam which is a process that requires energy .

 The Second Law is a law of entropy and describes the direction of natural processes.
It asserts that natural processes tend to increase the disorder or randomness of a
system.

Example of the second Law of Thermodynamics:

You have an ice cube, which is a solid at 0°C. When you place the ice cube in the warmer room,
the surrounding air will transfer heat to the ice. According to the second law of thermodynamics,
heat flows from the warmer surroundings to the cooler ice cube. As the ice absorbs heat, it
begins to melt. The heat energy breaks the orderly crystalline structure of the ice. After the ice
cube has completely melted, the water is now in a liquid state,