Chapter One Lecture Notes
Chapter One Lecture Notes
Large cranes such as this one are required to lift extrememly large loads. Their
design is based on the basic principles of statics and dynamics, which form the
subject matter of engineering mechanics.
General Principles
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
■ To provide an introduction to the basic quantities and idealizations
of mechanics.
■ To give a statement of Newton’s Laws of Motion and Gravitation.
■ To review the principles for applying the SI system of units.
■ To examine the standard procedures for performing numerical
calculations.
■ To present a general guide for solving problems.
1.1 Mechanics
Mechanics is a branch of the physical sciences that is concerned with the
state of rest or motion of bodies that are subjected to the action of forces.
In general, this subject can be subdivided into three branches: rigid-body
mechanics, deformable-body mechanics, and fluid mechanics. In this book
we will study rigid-body mechanics since it is a basic requirement for the
study of the mechanics of deformable bodies and the mechanics of fluids.
Furthermore, rigid-body mechanics is essential for the design and analysis
of many types of structural members, mechanical components, or electrical
devices encountered in engineering.
Rigid-body mechanics is divided into two areas: statics and dynamics.
Statics deals with the equilibrium of bodies, that is, those that are either
at rest or move with a constant velocity; whereas dynamics is concerned
with the accelerated motion of bodies. We can consider statics as a special
case of dynamics, in which the acceleration is zero; however, statics
deserves separate treatment in engineering education since many objects
are designed with the intention that they remain in equilibrium.
WHAT IS MECHANICS?
Mechanics