NWNR100413 Agricultural physics

Type
course with non-continuous assessment
Semester hours
2
Lecturer (assistant)
Mayer, Herwig
Organisation
Physics and Materials Science
Offered in
Sommersemester 2026
Languages of instruction
Deutsch
Content

1. MECHANICS (Kinematics, Force, Torque, Work, Energy, Power)

2. PHYSICS OF FLUIDS (Pressure, Temperature, Density and Density Measurement, Surface Tension, Capillarity, and Capillary Suction)

3. FLOWING LIQUIDS AND GASES (Bernoulli’s equation, viscosity, Reynolds number, laminar and turbulent flows)

4. FORCES IN FLOWS (flow resistance, sedimentation, separation processes in air flow)

5. RHEOLOGY OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS (irreversible deformation, creep, stress relaxation, maximum drop heights for fruits)

6. THERMAL ENERGY (heat, heat capacity, ideal gases, heating value and combustion value)

7. STATES OF MATTER (Melting, Evaporation and Vaporization, Vapor Pressure, Humidity)

8. TRANSPORT PROCESSES (Convection, Thermal Conduction, U-Value, Thermal Radiation, Diffusion, Osmosis, Water Transport in Plants)
Previous knowledge expected

Mathematics and physics on high school level
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

Students possess the knowledge and computational skills to analyze and calculate physical problems relevant to agricultural science in the areas of the physical behavior of liquids, fluid flow and flow resistance, thermal energy, states of matter, and transport processes.

For example, upon successful completion of the course, they will be able to
- calculate translational and rotational motions and the associated forces
- calculate the frictional forces on a load
- explain changes in a tractor’s axle loads
- calculate work done and the power required under the influence of various forces
- explain the physical principle of density measurement using a hydrometer and a refractometer

- Calculate capillary suction stresses and explain the permanent wilting point
- Correlate laminar and turbulent flows with the Reynolds number
- Specify flow rates for laminar flows
- Calculate the sedimentation times of fat droplets in milk and of pollen grains in air

- Explain how centrifuges work
- Specify the velocity of raindrops and the energy of hailstones
- Calculate the maximum permissible drop height for fruit using the biological yield strength
- Describe how biological materials creep
- Specify the internal energies and heat capacities of gases, solids, and liquids

- Calculate enthalpies during phase transitions
- Determine absolute and relative humidity using the Mollier diagram
- Perform heat transfer calculations
- Calculate the required heating capacity for a building or an apartment
- Calculate the osmotic pressures of solutions and explain their significance for water transport in plants
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.