Module 1

ENGINEERING MECHANICS
MECHANICS
It’s a branch of science, which deals with the action of forces on bodies at rest or
in motion.

ENGINEERING MECHANICS
It deals with the principles of mechanics as applied to the problems in
engineering.

BASIC CONCEPTS
1. Matter: Anything which has mass and requires space to occupy is called matter.
2. Mass: It is a measure of quality of matter contained by the body.
SI unit: Kg.
3. Volume: It is a measure of space occupied by the body.
Unit: m3
Note: Liter Unit of volume
1000 liters = 1 m3
TMS – Thousand million cubic feet.
109 ft3
10009 ft x 10000 ft x 1000 ft
4. State of rest and motion: State of rest and state of motion are relative and depend
on the frame of reference. A body is said to be in a state of rest w.r.t. a frame of
reference if the position of the body w.r.t. that frame of reference is not changing
with time. A body is laid to be in a state of motion w.r.t. a frame of reference if the
position of the body w.r.t. that frame of reference is changing with time.
5. Scalar and Vector Quantities: Quantities which require only magnitude to
represent them are called scalar quantities.
Eg: Mass, Time interval.
Quantitites which require both magnitude and direction to represent them are called
vector quantities.
Eg: Force, Velocity, etc.
6. Displacement and distance travelled: The total linear movement made by a body
to change its position from one point to another is called distance travelled by the
body. It is a scalar quantity.
Unit: Meter (m)
mm – Millimeter 10-3m B
Displacement
km – Kilo Meter 103m
The total linear movement made by a body
to change its position from one A point to
another moving along a particular direction
Distance
is called displacement. Displacement is a
vector quantity. Unit: Meter (m).

7. Speed and Velocity: The distance travelled in a unit time is speed.

Unit: m/s ms-1
The displacement in unit time is called velocity.
Unit: m/s ms-1
8. Uniform motion and non-uniform motion: If the velocity of the moving body
remains constant then the motion is said to be uniform. If the velocity is changing
with time, the motion is laid to be non-uniform.
9. Acceleration and retardation: The time rate of change of velocity is called
acceleration.
If the velocity is increasing with time then acceleration is positive. If the velocity is
decreasing with time then acceleration is negative. Negative acceleration is called
retardation or deceleration.
Unit: m/s2 ms-2
10. Momentum: It is the capacity of a moving body to impart motion to other bodies.
Momentum of a moving body is given by the product of mass and velocity of the
moving body.
Momentum = Mass X Velocity
Unit: kg m/s or kg ms-1.
11. Newton’s I Law of Motion: “Everybody continues to be in its state of rest or uniform
motion unless compelled by an external agency”.
12. Inertia: It is the inherent property of a body by virtue of which it can retain its state of
rest or uniform motion unless compelled by an external agency.
13. Force: It is an external agency, which overcomes or tends to overcome the inertia of
a body. It is a vector quantity.
14. Elements of a force: There are four elements:
a. Magnitude
b. Direction
c. Line of action
d. Point of action or application
15. Newton’s II Law of motion: “The rate of change of moment of a body is directly
proportional to the magnitude of the force applied and takes place in the direction of
the force applied”.
Explanation:
Initial momentum = mu
Final momentum = mv
Change in momentum over a time interval ‘t’ = mv – mu
Rate of change of momentum = mv − mu
t

According to Newton’s II law,

F α mv − mu
t m m V
F u
v−u
Fαm
t Time interval = t

F α ma

F = K ma

In SI, unit force is defined as that force which acts on a body of unit mass producing
unit acceleration.
i.e., F = 1 when m = 1 and a = 1
then 1 = k . 1 . 1

∴k=1
F = ma
Unit of force: newton (N) is the unit of force. One newton is that force which acts on
a body of mass 1 kg producing an acceleration of 1 m/s2.
 kN – Kilo newton – 103N
MN – Mega newton – 106N
GN – Giga newton – 109N
16. Newton’s III law of motion: “For every action there is equal and opposite reaction”.
17. Branches of Mechanics:

Mechanics

Solid Mech. Fluid Mech.

Rigid Mech. of Fluid Fluid Fluid

Body Deformable Statics Kinematics Dynamics
Mech. Bodies

Statics Dynamics

Kinematics Kinetics

Statics: Statics deals with the action of forces on bodies at rest or in equilibrium.
Dynamics: Dynamics deals with the action of forces on bodies in motion.
Kinematics: It deals with the study of geometry of motion without considering the
cause of motion.
Kinetics: Kinetics deals with a study of motion considering the course of motion.
18. Rigid body: The concept of rigid body is purely theoretical or imaginary. A rigid body
is said to undergo, no deformation under the action of any external agency such as
force and moments.
In other words relative positions of the modules of a rigid body are fixed in space.
19. Particle: Concept of particle is purely theoretical or imaginary. A particle is said to
have mass but requires no space to occupy. In other words, a particle is a point
mass.
 The concept of particle cannot be used if the shape and size of the body is
influencing the motion.
Eg: i) Motion of a swimmer.
ii) Motion of a body along a curved path.
20. Continuum: The concept of continuum is purely theoretical or imaginary.
Continuum is said to be made up of infinite number of molecules packed in such a
way that, there is no gap between the molecules so that property functions remain
same at all the points.
21. Point force: The concept of point force in purely theoretical or imaginary, here the
force is assumed to be acting at a point or over infinity small area.
22. Principle physical independence of forces:

M
F1 a1

M
F1 a2

M
F2 F1 a1, a2

M
F1 F2 a1, a2

Action of forces on bodies are independent, in other words the action of forces on a
body is not influenced by the action of any other force on the body.
23. Principle of superposition of forces:
 M
F1 a1

M
F1 a2

M
F2 F1 (a1+a2)

M
F1 F2 (a2+a1)

Net effect of forces applied in any sequence on a body is given by the algebraic sum
of effect of individual forces on the body.
24. Principle of transmissibility of forces:

a= F
M M

A Rigid body
F
Line of action a= F
M

M Line of action

F
B
Rigid body

The point of application of a force on a rigid body can be changed along the same
line of action maintaining the same magnitude and direction without affecting the
effect of the force on the body.
 Limitation of principle of transmissibility: Principle of transmissibility can be used
only for rigid bodies and cannot be used for deformable bodies.
25. Assumptions made in Engineering Mechanics
i) All bodies are rigid.
ii) Particle concept can be used wherever applicable.
iii) Principle of physical independence of forces is valid.
iv) Principle of superposition of forces is valid.
v) Principle of transmissibility of forces is valid.
SYSTEM OF FORCES
A group or set of forces is called system of forces.
Types:
1. Coplanar force system:

F1
F2
F
3

If the lines of action of forces forming the system lie in the same plane, then the
system is said to be coplanar.

2. Non-coplanar forces:

F1
F2
F4 F6 F3

F5

If the lines of action of forces forming the system do not lie in the same plane then
the system is said to be non-coplanar.
Note: Our study is restricted to coplanar forces.
3. Collinear force system:
F1 F2 F3
A B C

If the forces forming the system have common line of action then the system is said
to be collinear.
4. Concurrent force system:
x x
D A
F4
F
1
0
F
2
B
C

F1 F2
F3 F3
F2
F4 O O
F F
F1
3 4

If the line of action of forces forming the system pass through a common point (point
of concurrence) then the system is said to be concurrent.
5. Non-concurrent force system:
F1

F4
F2
F3
If the lines of action of forces forming the system do not pass through a common
point, then the system is said to be non-concurrent.
6. Parallel force system:

F2 F4

F1 F2 F3 F4 F1 F3

Like Unlike
 It is a particular case of non-concurrent force system in which the line of action of
forces forming the system are parallel.

RESOLUTION OF A FORCE
Y
 Y Displacement

X
F X Displacement

The force F is producing, simultaneous x displacement and y-displacement. The

part of the force F which is producing x displacement is called x component or
horizontal component of the force F (Fx). The part of the force F which produces y –
displacement is called y component of the force or vertical component of force F (Fy).

The technique of finding a component of a force along any direction is called

resolution of force. The component of a force along any direction is called the resolved
component. The components of a force determined along two mutually perpendicular
direction are called rectangular components.

To resolve a force along any direction

Y

A
A2
Fy F

θ
FX A1 X

OA represents the force F both in magnitude and direction ‘θ’ is the acute angle
mode by the force w.r.t. x direction.
We have,
OA1
Cos θ =
OA

F
Cos θ = x
F

Fx = F Cos θ ( )
AA1
Sin θ =
OA

Sin θ = AA 2
OA

Fy
Sin θ =
 F

Fy = F Sin θ ( )

X component of a force is given by the product of magnitude of the force and

cosine of acute angle made by the force w.r.t. x-direction.

Y component of a force is given by the product of magnitude of the force and

sine of acute angle made by the force w.r.t. x-direction.

Note:
1. Sign convention for the direction of components.

+
–

–
2. θ = 0
Fx = F Cos O

=F
Fy = F Sin O

=O
The horizontal component or ‘X’ component of a force acting along x direction is the
force itself. Whereas, its vertical component or y-component is zero.

3. Fx = F Cos 90

=O
Fy = F Sin 90

=F

‘x’ component of a force acting along Y direction is zero. Whereas, its ‘y’ component
is equal to itself.
4. If a force is inclined at 45o w.r.t. x axis or y axis then its x component will be equal to
y component (Fx = Fy).

Problems
1. Find X and Y components of forces in the following
cases. a)
100 kN
Fx = + 100 Cos 30
30o
= + 86 . 60 kN
= 86 . 60 kN ( )

Fy = + 100 Sin 30
= + 50 . 00 kN
= 50 . 00 kN ()

b) 20 kN
Fx = + 20 Cos 70 30o
= + 6 . 840 kN
= 6 . 840 kN ( )

Fy = + 20 Sin 70
= + 18 . 79 kN
= 18 . 79 kN ()

c)
Method-I 4
3
3
tan θ =

θ = 36.87o 200 N

Fx = - 200 Cos 36.87o

= – 160 N
= 160 N ( )
Fy = - 200 Cos 36.87o
= – 120 N
= 120 N ()
Method-II
4
Cos θ = = 0.8
3
Sin θ = = 0.6

Fx = - 200 Cos θ
= – 200 x 0.8
= – 160 N
= 160 N ( )

Fy = – 200 Sin θ
= – 200 x 0.6
= – 120 N
= 120 N ()
RESULTANT FORCE OF A SYSTEM OF FORCES
α
F
1

F
2

F3

F4 α

The resultant of a system of forces is a single calculated force which is capable

of producing the same effect as that of system of forces on the body. It is the vector
sum of forces of the system.

COMPOSITION OF FORCES
The technique of finding the resultant of forces is called composition of forces.

MOMENT OF A FORCE
It is the capacity of a force to produce rotator motion. In other words moment of a
force is its rotating capacity.

A F F A

Moment of F about A in Moment of F about A in

clockwise anticlockwise

Based on the direction of rotation produced moment of a force can be classified

into
a) Clockwise moment
b) Anticlockwise moment / counter clockwise moment.
Calculation of Moment of a Force about a Point
Moment of a force about any point is given by the product of magnitude of force
and perpendicular distance between the line of action of a force and the point about
which moment is considered.
X

MA = FL
Unit: Nm
F

Sign Convention for Moment of a Force

Clockwise moment positive and anticlockwise moment negative.
1) Find moment of force ‘F’ about ‘A’ in the following cases.
a)
F = 10 kN

2m XA

b)
F = 10 kN

X
A 2m

c)

3m

X A

F = 20 kN
 d)
2m

A 50 kN

2) Find moment of the force about A and B in the following

a)

X
A 2m

X
4m B

F = 10 kN

b)
B F = 20 kN

3m
A
4m