Physique et structures de données pour les technologies de l'information

The course, corresponding to 5 ECTS, is divided into two main parts.

Firstly, the "Applied Physics" part, corresponding to 4 ECTS, deals with physics in the broadest sense and its applications in the field of information technology. It covers, among others:
— signal theory, including spectral analysis and signal processing, with notions of acoustics and optics;
— electronics, including foundations, circuits and semiconductor components;
— imaging, including image processing and elements of microscopy; and
— light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and their use as light sources, including critical reflection on sustainable development and environmental impact.

Secondly, the "Data Structures" part, corresponding to 1 ECTS, covers databases and their structures:
— this course covers how data is stored, modelled and queried; the core is the relational model: conceptual modelling with ER diagrams, logical design and normalisation;
— from there we move to SQL fundamentals, analytical SQL, indexing and query performance;
— the course ends with a short look at NoSQL and MongoDB, and a brief introduction to distributed ledgers and blockchains.

This course contributes to the "Energy pathway" of the "Teaching Sustainable Development @ SBS-EM," which aims to provide integrated teaching in sustainability.

"Applied Physics" part
— To finely understand spectral analysis and apply it, especially in the modelling of physical phenomena and in data and signal processing.
— To be able to demonstrate the link between some fundamental properties of mathematics and physics, and several of their implications in information technology.
— To be able to explain the main properties of basic electronic circuits used in signal processing; create and characterise such circuits.
— To critically analyse the sustainability and the environmental impact of innovative technologies as they emerge, such as the light-emitting diode (LED).

"Data Structures" part
— To understand database structures and to master related basic concepts.
— To explain what a DBMS gives you beyond a spreadsheet or storing data just across files. 
— To build an ER model from a business description. 
— To convert that model into a normalized relational schema in 3NF, and justify any denormalization. 
— To write SQL with multi-table joins, aggregation and window functions to answer business questions. 
— To explain ACID, and distinguish transactional from analytical workloads by designing a simple star schema.
— To compare relational, document, key-value, wide-column and graph stores, query MongoDB, and judge when a distributed ledger is better than a conventional database. 

Required and Corequired knowledge and skills

The following concepts must be acquired:
— logarithms;
— complex numbers;
— elementary analysis of electrical circuits (Kirchhoff's laws).

Required and corequired courses

The "Applied Physics" part, taught in French during the second quadrimester, includes
— 24 hours of theoretical lectures;
— 18 hours of guided exercise sessions;
— 12 hours of practical laboratory work.

The "Data Structures" part, taught in English during the first quadrimester, corresponds to
— 12 hours of theoretical lectures.

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

References are specified during the courses.

Course notes

• Syllabus
• Université virtuelle
• Podcast

Contacts

"Applied Physics" part: Jérôme DOHET-ERALY (Jerome.Dohet-Eraly@ulb.be)
"Data Structures" part: Thejaswini RAGHAVAN (Thejaswini.Raghavan@ulb.be)

Campus

Solbosch

Method(s) of evaluation

• written examination
• Other
• Written report

written examination

• Open question with developed answer
• Open question with short answer

Other

Written report

In case of ambiguity between the French and English versions, only the French version shall prevail.

Evaluation mainly consists in written exams at the end of each quadrimester.

Each exam covers all subjects taught in lectures and during the exercises and lab sessions.

No student can be unaware that, within an answer to a question, any erroneous element is liable to result in a loss of points.

For the "Applied Physics" part, the evaluation also includes a portion related to lab work, based on a written report, the results obtained, and an oral interrogation during the lab sessions. Attendance at the lab sessions is mandatory.

The teachers reserve the right to invite any student to an additional oral interview to verify their personal command of the content of the submitted exam, particularly when inconsistencies observed in the exam prevent the teacher from accurately assessing the level of mastery of the knowledge and skills targeted by the course.

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

In case of ambiguity between the French and English versions, only the French version shall prevail.

In both the first and second sessions, the distribution between the two aforementioned parts of the course is as follows. The overall mark is calculated as the weighted average of the marks
— of the "Applied Physics" part, which counts for four fifths, and
— of the "Data Structures" part, which counts for one fifth.

For the first session, within this overall mark, the various evaluations have the following weighting:
— the exam of the end of the first quadrimester counts for one fifth of the overall course mark;
— the exam of the end of the second quadrimester counts for seven tenths; and
— the mark for the practical work counts for one tenth.

For the second session, the mark for the practical work is retained with the same weighting. Furthermore, from the first to the second session, the mark for the "Applied Physics" part or for the "Data Structures" part is automatically reported if it is at least 10/20; no administrative action is required. Marks below 10/20 are automatically cancelled. Students whose one partial mark has been reported but nevertheless decide to retake the corresponding exam at a later session implicitly and irrevocably forfeit their previous mark: only the new mark obtained is taken into consideration for calculating the overall mark, even if it is lower than the one obtained previously.

The absence to the practical laboratory work results, in addition to get 0/20 as mark for this practical laboratory work, in a reduction of two points over sixteen from the mark for the "Applied Physics" part, both in the first and second sessions.

From one academic year to another, the practical work mark previously obtained by a student may possibly be transferred to the current academic year, at the express request of this student submitted via a dedicated survey on the virtual university platform, in accordance with the procedures outlined in the communication accompanying this survey and, in any case, no later than the 1st of March of the current academic year; the transfer being granted only if the mark is greater than or equal to 14/20. As a transitional measure and contrary to this rule, a practical work mark that has already been transferred to the 2025–2026 academic year, obtained in a prior year, may also be transferred again, even if it is strictly lower than 14/20, subject to the same procedural requirements. If a student has completed the laboratory practical work on multiple occasions, only the most recent mark is eligible for transfer. A student who has requested and obtained the transfer of one's practical work mark is automatically exempted from the laboratory practical work and is subsequently barred from participating in it.

The teaching unit (UE) is credited if and only if the following two conditions are met:
1) if the overall mark, calculated as explained above, reaches 10/20; and
2) if the skills in both parts of the course, namely "Applied Physics" and "Data Structures," are acquired to a sufficient level, which requires the student has obtained at least 7/20 in each of them.

The final mark for the course is then determined as follows:
— if the course is credited or if the course is not credited but none of the partial marks is strictly lower than 7/20, the final mark for the course is the overall mark calculated as explained above;
— if the course is not credited and at least one partial mark is strictly lower than 7/20, the final mark for the course is the lowest partial mark among the "Applied Physics" part and the "Data Structures" part.

Language(s) of evaluation

• french
• english