• Buy a physical copy of the books you’re assigned. They typically cost less than $10
• Bring the book or print out the reading to bring to class so you can refer to it during discussion. You can bring a digital version.
• Do the extra reading on the genre, the author, what society was like and what world events were occurring when the piece was written.
• Speak in your discussion section 1) you get participation marks. 2) you force yourself to organize and vocalize your thoughts. 3) your TA will learn that you’re alive.
• Your professor will often not write or present any notes but you should take notes on what is being discussed.
• Take notes on good points that your classmates bring up.
• Start working on your final paper early
• Spend time working on a good thesis
• Choose a final paper topic that looks least boring to you. I know you think all the topics are awful but it gets better once you start refining your idea.
• Talk to your professor at office hours if you have questions.
Suggested professor: Dr Gisele Baxter, especially if you’re into Gothic!
• Do your pre lab at least the night before. The stress of doing the pre lab a hour before it is due is not fun
• Take pre lab quizzes seriously.
• Listen carefully to your TA’s suggestions on how to do your lab report.
• ERASABLE PENS ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND. I wish someone told me to use them so I didn’t have to awkwardly cross things out. Chem labs are pen only so if you make mistakes, you’re not allowed to use whiteout. Game over friends.
• On that note, you must use black or blue pen. I love colourful pens but pink or orange or purple pens do not belong here.
I personnally used Pilot 0.5 mm but any erasable pens will do
• You must bring an electronic device to class to answer in-class problems
• Perusall is due every Sunday night. You have to put online comments about the assigned
textbook reading and reply to classmates’ comments for marks. PRO TIP: if you have trouble coming up with questions, answer your classmates’ questions instead. Pro TIP: the diagrams are good places to ask questions.
• Mastering Physics are online problem sets that are due every week. Carve out time to work on these. Sometimes they can be challenging.
participation in class activities and discussions.
In-class essays
Take-home essay(s)
3-hour final examination at the end of the course where you’ll be asked to write essays
Lots of
Implementing “They Say I Say” into your writing style. You’ll find out what They Say I Say means every soon.
Pointing out what established academics have done wrong in their writing
How to get a good grade:
Actually do the assigned reading before class
Bring the book or print out the reading to bring to class so you can refer to it during discussion.
You can bring a digital version.
IMPORTANT: Speak in class!! 1) you get participation marks. 2) you force yourself to organize and vocalize your thoughts. 3) your professor will learn that you’re alive.
Your professor will often not write or present any notes but you should take notes on what is being discussed.
Take notes on good points that your classmates bring up.
Start working on your final paper early
Choose a final paper topic that you’re personally interested. Do not choose a topic solely because you think your professor will like it. If you find your own topic boring, you will write a boring paper and your professor will cry while drinking coffee trying to read your paper.
Go get at least two physical books when you’re conducting background research.
The UBC Libraries are great resources.
Spend time working on a good thesis.
Talk to your professor at office hours if you have questions
Suggested professor: Dr Lorcan Fox (he’s hilarious!)
Click “Continue Reading” for asnwers to Frequently asked questions about First year course scheduling below
You should choose your first year classes based on what majors you’re interested in. You only have to take certain classes if you’re interested in a particular major, e.g. two semesters of physics if you’re interested in the Physiology (CAPS) major. That said, most first years in the Faculty of Science have roughly the same schedule to meet the Lower Level requirements set by the Faculty of science. I knew I was interested in a life science major such as Pharmacology, Microbiology, Biology, Physiology etc so I choose my first year classes so that I fulfilled the course requirements to apply for these majors. If you’re interested in more about choosing a major particularly a life science major, I intend to write a post on Choosing a Major in the future.
Click on the name of the course to read tips to do well in that specific course
BIOL 112 in my personal opinion. Absolutely BIOL 112 if you’re claiming AP Bio credit and want to take a second year biology class term 2. If you’re not claiming bio credit, it doesn’t matter but I personally think the content of biol 112 (cell biology, metabolism etc) is a good foundation to build on for further studies in biology.
(Note: You should take CHEM 211 here if you’re a Honours Physiology or Pharmacology major. )
Second term
SOCI 102- Sociology
PHYS 118 – Electricity and Magnetism
BIOC 202 – Medical Biochemistry
CHEM 205 – Physical Chemistry
PSYC Introduction to Psychology
These classes were really useful for the MCAT
BIOC 202
BIOL 200
PHYS 118
SOCI 102
PSYC 101
CHEM 233 Organic Chemistry
I had Dr. Jackie Stewart as my professor and she’s great. Super enthusiastic about what she teaches and willing to help us if we don’t understand.
Don’t take 8 AM Ochem though. You will regret signing for 8 am class every morning until the end of the term. You’ve been warned.
CHEM 235 Organic Chemistry Lab
Very useful class.
Your TA and your benchmates are your saviours. Love them, be nice to them, help them. You all are part of a team.
PCTH 201 Drugs and Society
I highly recommend this elective. It inspired me to major in Pharmacology and Neuroscience!
Dr. Horne is awesome. Enough said. Take this class.
If you put in the effort, you will do well in this class.
STAT 200 Statistics
highly recommend this elective too. Very useful if you do research.
The midterm was really challenging so our professor changed the grading scheme so that more weight was on the final.
I went to office hours so often that my professor, Dr. Lang, started to anticipate that I would be back the next week haha. Use office hours!
BIOL 200 Cell Biology
The material was really cool but the exams are difficult to do well in.
The problem sets have no answers and this will anger you while you study. You don’t understand me now but you will later. Going to office hours for answers helps only mildly.
You will want to tear out your hair writing your press release because you don’t fully understand the article you’re supposed to be advertising.
To be honest, if you don’t need this class and are not taking it for interest, avoid this class. It’s a lot of work and the exams and assignments are frustrating.
Term 2:
BIOC 202 Medical Biochemistry
Dr. Williams will play biochemistry songs. He’s cool.
I found this class pretty interesting! You will too probably if you’re interested in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, etc because there are many examples related to medications and medical conditions.
the exams were tough even with tons and tons of studying
Study tip: Study with friends before exams! It helps to explain your answers and quiz each other on details and draw out pathways on whiteboards.
CHEM 205 Physical Chemistry
Our professor provided us with tons of practice exams and problem sets – such a blessing.
Class attendance is optional – just a FYI for all you self-learners out there.
I can’t say I found the material particularly interesting but the material is useful for the MCAT and understanding biochemistry.
PHYS 118 Electricity and Magnetism
Useful class, interesting class, easy midterms but the final was difficult because it covered everything from the beginning to the end of the semester.
There are clicker questions every class so be prepared.
Tutorial is optional but I highly recommend attending to get guidance from the TAs.
SOCI 102 Sociology
I was super excited to attend class!
Dr. Neil Armitage is the man you want for your professor.
The written assignments are difficult to do well on though
My TA was really helpful for tips and feedback if you’re struggling with writing.
PSYC 101 Psychology
After I took this class, I decided to change my major to Neuroscience and Pharmacology so you can guess how much I loved this class.
Easy to do well in if you attend class and study a reasonable amount. I’m not sure why this class is notorious for being alarmingly difficult. My guess is that it might be difficult if you take this first semester of first year when you’re not used to the workload of university yet.
Dr. Luke Clark is super cool and a good professor.
Lessons learned:
– Don’t nap right before a math exam. You need to be quick and alert. I should have warmed up my responses instead. Seriously, don’t nap.
– I really need to work on my response speed when doing math questions. When preparing for the next midterm, I should do practice tests under timed conditions.
– I should also do any practice questions in general under 8 minutes.
– Learn shortcuts to do math with.
– Save time to check my work during math exam!!
-DOUBLE CHECK IN STEP 2!
– Specifically I had trouble identifying the pattern when given a series of numbers. I only found the pattern when I wrote out the series in full.
– On my next bacteria and virology, details details details. What if ___ or if this disease___ were common questions.
-If I ever take a class with Dr. Kion, I’ll fine comb through slides. Her slides contained all the minutiae details that were tested. I don’t know if this will apply to bac/vir because we have different professors for bac and vir
– Next time I only have 3 and half hours, I should just stay on campus instead leaving. I did a 45 min light run at home but if I wore runners and non-jeans, I could work out at school instead before my exam. In addition, I would have enjoyed reading a book for my English class before my exam
when in doubt, there is probably a pressure gradient
KEY CONCEPTS
Animals require oxygen intake and carbon dioxide expulsion to sustain cell respiration.
Gas exchange organs maximize the rate of O2 and CO2 diffusion by
large thin surface area
steep partial-pressure gradient favouring O2 in and Co2 out.
Blood is specialized tissues that transport gases, nutrients, wastes
Hemoglobin = protein that carries oxygen
Very good at take up oxygen at lungs and other gas exchange organs
release oxygen at tissue
Circulatory systems use positive pressure generated by one or more hearts to transport stuff throughout body.
Major questions:
How are oxygen and Co2 exchanged with the environment? (Oxygen and Carbon dioxide important bc associ with cell resp
How are these gases along with nutrients, waste, etc transported throughout body?
8.1 Why is respiration and circulation necessary for animals?
8.2 Air and water as respiratory media
What is the differences between total pressure and partial pressures of a gas mixture?
Why are the partial pressures of gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide important?
8.3 O
rgans of gas exchange
What is the importance of the various parts of Fick’s equation
Describe how fish gills generally work.
Describe with detail how the fish gill is a countercurrent exchange mechanism. What is countercurrent exchanges?
How do vertebrate lungs work?
Must name the main structures of mammalian lung
What are the mechanisms of ventilation of the mammalian lung?
How do changes in pressure result in lung ventilation?
Explain the concept of “dead space”
How do bird lungs work?
ANSWERS
How do animals exchanges gases with the environment and transport substances within their bodies?
8.1 Brief overview of respiratory and circulatory systems.
Important bc need to O2 to produce ATP. Making ATP makes Co2. You need to get rid of Co2 because it can become acid in your blood. Not good.
What are the four steps of gas exchange between environment and mitochondria?
Ventilation = air or water moves through specialized gas exchange organ (lungs, gills)
Diffusion at respiratory surface
Circulation = transported in circ system
Into tissues where O2 low due to cell respiration
Which system helps with ventilation and gas exchange with the environment?
resp system
which system help with transport in body and exchange into tissues
circ sys
8.2 Air and water as respiratory media
DIFFUSION!!!
How much oxygen in environ vs tissue?
oxy high in enivorn and low in tissue so oxygen wants to go from environ to tissue
carbon dioxide in environment vs tissue
carb dix lower in envir than in tissue cuz in tissue there is lots cuz produced from cell resp. so co 2 tend to go from tissue out to environment
What is the differences between total pressure and partial pressures of a gas mixture?
partial pressure = pressure of a particular gas in a mixture of gases
partial pressure is like percentage of that gas in a mixture but gas style
Partial pressure = (fraction) of ( total pressure of mixture).
fraction = what fraction that gas is of the total air
atmospheric pressure = 760 mmHg
note: our atmosphere is mostly N2 and oxygen with a little co2 and argon. we ignore nitrogen and argon bc not useful to us
Why are the partial pressures of gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide important?
oxygen and carbon dioxide diffuse between the environment and cells along their partial-pressure gradients
move from high partial pressure to low partial pressure
Compare water breathers with air breathers
water breathers face more challenge than air breather
the oxygen content of water is less than the oxygen content of air
so water breathers have to take in much more water than air breathers need to take in air
8.3 Organs of gas exchange
How do small animals that lack lungs or gill exchange gas?
diffusion across body surface is rapid enough to fulfill gas exchange needs
e.g. sponges, jellyfish
but must live in wet environment
skin must thin which is no protective, prone to water loss
so animals that are big, live in dry (e.g. land
respiratory organs provide greater surface area for gas exchange, large enough to meet gas demands of body cells
land animals – lungs inside body to minimize water loss
What is the importance of the various parts of Fick’s equation?
Fick’s law of diffusion = rate of diffusion depends on 5 things
solubility of gas in the aqueous film lining gas-exchange surface
temperature
surface area available for diffusion
difference in partial pressures of gas across gas exchange surface
thickness of the gas exchange surface
So gas will diffuse quickly if very soluble, high temperature, lots of sruface area, big diff in partial pressures, thin surface
Fick’s law states that all gases, including O2 and Co2, diffuse in the largest amounts when three conditions are met:
A is large. – lots of surface area for exchange
D is small – thin surface
P2 – P1 is large. large partial pressure gradient -> maintained by efficient circ sys in contact with resp surface.
Figure 8.3 in page 169 of “Fundamentals of Physiology”
Describe how fish gills generally work. (not very important)
gills = body surface or throat used for gas exchange
large surface area for oxygen to diffuse across a thin surface
Some gills contact water directly
internal gills: water must be pushed over gills by cilia, limbs or other
fish gills located on both sides of head,
operculum = tissue cover gills
pumping action of mouth and operculum creates pressure gradient -> cause water to move over gills (Obs: all of this plant/animal class is All about the gradient: pressure, solute, concentration etc. Always from high to low)
ram ventilation = fast swimming with open mouth
water flows in one direction over gills
water passes through gill filaments -> gill lamellae -> capillaries – > gas exchange
Describe with detail how the fish gill is a countercurrent exchange mechanism. What is countercurrent exchanges?
one way flow of water through gill lamellae
flow of blood through capillaries in lamellae is OPPOSITE to flow of water
counter current exchange = two fluids flowing in opposite direction
lamellae always have oxy press gradient
So water is always adjacent to capillary blood with LOWER oxygen content so large partial pressure gradient
most of oxygen in water diffuses into blood
If concurrent flow, then oxygen transfer stops where partial pressure gradient stop bc same partial pressure.
counter current flow makes gills effcient at extract oxygenfrom water
because difference in partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide in water vs blod maintained over entire gas-exchange surface (lamellae)
effect of counter current change = maximum P2 – p1 difference over entire gill surface
What are the mechanisms of ventilation of the mammalian lung? How do changes in pressure result in lung ventilation?
actively contract muscles to pump air
negative pressure ventilation – pressure gradient
changes pressure in chest cavity
inhalation = increase cavity volume by contract diaphragm, which decreases lung pressure
diaphragm downward, ribs outward
active
exhalation = passive except exercise
lung is elastic = return to original shape (normally collapsed shape)
chest cavity volume decrease
Explain the concept of “dead space”
dead space = portions of air passage that do not have respiratory surface e.g. trachea, bronchi
= why only 2/3 of 450 ml in per breath partakes in gas exchange
breathing = more efficient during exercise cuz chest cavity greater changes in volume
How do bird lungs work?
one way airflow through avian lung
posterior air sacs fill with outside air – inhalation
lungs fill with air from posterior sacs – exhalation
anterior air sacs fill with air from lungs – inhalation
anterior air sacs empty – exhalation
inhalation, air flows through trachea and enter two posterior sacs
exhalation, air leaves posterior sacs, enters parabronchi
inhalation 2 air into parabronchi in anterior lung, then to anterior air sacs
exhalation 2 air out of anterior, thru trachea, out to atmosphere
less dead space = dead space is restricted to short stretch of trachea between mouth and opening of anterior air sacs.
gas exchange during both inhale and exhale
blood circulate through bird lung in capillies that cross parabronchi perpendicularly. cross current is less efficeint than countercurrent (fish) but better than weblike capillaries in mammals
CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
carries blood or hemolymph into close contact with every cell in body
close enough that diffusion is efficient
(open and closed circ systems not discussed in class but expected to know the generally open and closed. details not needed)
open circ systems
hemolymph direct contact tissue
do not need to diffuse across wall fo blodo vessel
heart and body movement
hemolymph low pressure, low flow rate. ok for sedentary not needing much oxygen
insects
closed circulatory systems
blood flows in continuous circuit through body under pressure generated by heart
blood confined in vessels
high pressure -> high flow rate
blood flow can be directed to specific areas when needed
IMPORTANT to know types of blood vessels, general characteristics. won’t be discussed in class but will tested on exams
arteries = thick wall, take blood away from heart at high pressure
all have both muscle fibres and elastic fibres in walls
elastic fibres dominate aorta all so can expand in response to high pressure
when contraction of heart ends, diameter of aorta return to resting state. elastic response propels blood away from heart “secondary pumping
maintains forward blood flow between contractions
arterioles
sphincters = muscle fibres around circumference of vessels
control resistance to flow
Constriction relaxation controlled by nervous system
allows for nervous system to be able to control blood flow
When sphincters relaxed, arteriole diameter increases, resistance to flow decreases
when sphincters contracted, arteriole diameter decreases, resistance to flow increases, slow blood flow, can divert this blood floow to other tissues
capillaries = one cell thick, low pressure
one red blood cell at a time
dense network throughout body
exchange
in some organs e.g. liver, capillaries have multiple openings so less barrier to diffusion
veins
all veins have some muscle fibres that contract in response to signals from nervous system, decreasing diameter and overall volume of vessels. Blood pressure in closed system is partially regulated by actively adjusting volume of blood within veins.
low pressure, thinner walls
larger interior diameter
flow speeded by moving limbs
one way valves – prev backflow
muscle fibres contract when signals from nervous system say decreasing the diameter and volume of vessels
blood pressure is regulated by actively adjusting the volume of blood within veins
venules
Interstitial fluid. Focus on physiology of how lymph is formed.
interstitial fluid = fliud that fills area between cells
high pressure of closed circ systems + thin walsl of cappiles means that small but steady leake of plasma fliud from blood vessel
why does interstitial fluid build up?
there is outward-directed hydrostatic force in capillaries, created by the pressure on blood generated by heart
inward directed osmotic force in capillaries, created by higher concentration of solute in blood plasma than in interstitial space
at the end of capillary nearest to arteriole, hydrostatic force exceeds osmotic force so fluid moves out of capillary into interstitial space
venuous end, osmotic force exceeds hydrostatic so fluid lost on the arteriole end gets reclaimed at venuous end of cpillary.
but not all interstitial fliud reabsorbed by capillaries
What is the role of the lymphatic system?
lymphatic system = branching tubules called lymphatic ducts or vessels
lymphatic ducts
permeate all tissues
eventually join with one another
largest lymphatic vessels return excess fliud to major veins entering the heart
assuming that total solute concentration in plasma and interstitial fliud must be different enoguh to bring fliud into capillaries via osmosis
fliud that leaks out of capillaries must have low OSMOLARITY
capiliess must act as filters that retain large prrotines
albumin = large and net negative prtoeins that can’t exit capillary
keep solute concentration in blood high
maintains strong osmotic gradient that brings fluid back to capillaries
How does the heart work?
Carefully read “The human heart” and “the cardiac cycle”
pulmonary circulation = lower pressure, to and from lung
systemic circulation = to and from body
What are the parts of the human heart?
thin walled atrium receives blood
thick walled ventricle pumps blood out
artioventricular valves seperate atria from ventricles
venae cavae (inferior, superior)
pulmonary artery
blood flows form artium to ventricle to arterty only one way
one way valves seperate heart chembers and ffrom blood vessel
heart murmur = back flow
pulmonary veins
Trace the flow of blood through the chambers
right atrium
right ventricle
lungs
left atrium
left ventricle
body
What are the steps of the cardiac cycle – how do changes in pressure inside heart result in blood flow?
systole = contraction phase of atria and ventricles
diastole = relaxation
cardiac cycle = sequence of contraction, relaxation , one diastole, one systole
ventricular systole -> increases pressure in both ventricles, blood to pumonary artery and aorta,
systolic blood pressure = measure at peak of ventricular ejection
disatolic = low bp
electrical acitation of heart
pacemaker cells initiate contractions of cardiac muscle cells
pacemaker cells located in sinoatrial (SA) node
SA node and muslce cells receive inputs from nervous systesm and chemcial messengers
to regulate heart rate
stregnth of ventricular contraction
amoutn fo blood mvoing through cri c varies in repsones to electrical signa dn and hormoones
an electrical impulse that stimulates contraction is genereated in SA nodea nd rapidly conducted through right and left atria
signal spreads quickly from cell to cell because cardiac muscle form physical and electrical connections to each other (this is special and unique to cardiac muscle cells)
all cardiac muscle cells branch to ocntact other cells
intercalated cells =
elf
sa node initates signal
sa node signa spread ove ratria. atria contract simulatnaeously and fill ventricles
signal from atria conducted to AV node. AV nod delays and then pas to centricles. delay allow ventricles ot fill
electrical impulse form va transmit through fibres in muscular wall seperated ventricles. both ventricles contract as atria relax.
ventricles realax and cells recoves, restore electrical state prior to contraction
(see fig 8.29)
patterns in blood pressure and blood flow
blood p in capillaries drops bc resistance increases. lots of fricton loss. seen in graph as lots of squiggles
velocity of blood flow decreases in capillary
How bp and blood flow regulated?
arteriole sphincter
homeostatic control of bp
sensors e.g. baroreceptors – dec in bp
cardiac output increases
artioles constrict to divert blood
veins constrict
integrator process info about change
effects diminish impactof chage
Stuff to remember:
if atmos is 45, predicted partial pressure in water surface is 45 mmHg.
oxygen concentration is water is lower than concentration in air
cross sectional area of vessels increase, velocity of flow also increases. FALSE
Follow
because you’re not allowed to use any other calculator on the midterms or final.
but any erasable pens will do 
