Engineering Mechanics is a branch of engineering that deals with the behavior of isolated systems, as well as systems consisting of many parts. The field has several sub-divisions, each of which covers a specific aspect of mechanics. Perhaps the most significant divisions are statics and dynamics.

Statics

Statics is the study of systems in equilibrium. It is concerned with forces, their effects and their relations to each other. Forces can be grouped into three categories:

• Axes – These are lines that pass through the center of mass and are perpendicular to the plane of rotation (momentum). An axis can be thought of as an imaginary line that connects two points on an object or system (such as a rod).
• Moments – A moment is the product of force multiplied by distance from its point of application; it’s represented by an arrow pointing away from this point.
• Couples – A couple consists of equal and opposite couples acting on different points on an object or system; they’re represented by two arrows pointing toward each other at right angles

Dynamics

If you’ve taken a physics class, you know that dynamics is the study of how objects move. The motion of a body can be described by its position (where), velocity (how fast) and acceleration (how quickly).

In this section we’ll cover Newton’s laws of motion:

Strength of Materials

Strength of materials is the branch of mechanics that deals with the behavior of materials and structures under forces. It is also known as solid mechanics, but this term can cause confusion with liquid or fluid mechanics.

Strength of materials is considered as one of the most fundamental branches of mechanics and it deals with stress, strain and deformation in solids. The main objective behind strength of materials is to determine how much stress … Continue reading >>>>