Introduction to Mechanics

What is Mechanics?
Mechanics is the branch of physics which deals with the state of rest or
motion of bodies under the action of force. Mechanics may be defined as
that physical science which describes and predicts the condition of rest
or motion of bodies under the action of forces.

Branches of Engineering Mechanics

Depending upon the nature of the body involved, engineering
mechanics can be classified into the following two categories:
1. Mechanics of Solids and

2. Mechanics of Fluids.

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In this Book, our scope is limited to the study of mechanics of Rigid

bodies only.

What is Rigid body?

A rigid body is the one which does not undergo any deformation under
the loads. Deformation means change in size and/or shape. Actually
speaking, physical bodies or never absolutely rigid; they deform under
the loads to which they are subjected. But these deformations are
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usually very small and can be neglected. So in this study, the bodies are
assumed to be perfectly rigid.

Definitions of various branches of engineering

mechanics:
Statics: I is that branch of engineering mechanics, which deals with the
forces and their effects, while acting upon the bodies at rest.
Dynamics: I is that branch of engineering mechanics, which deals with
the forces and their effects, while acting upon the bodies in motion. The
subject of dynamics may be further sub-divided into two branches as:
1. Kinetics and 2. Kinematics.
Kinetics: The study of a body in motion with the force which cause
motion are considered is called kinetics.
Kinematics: The study of a body in motion with the force which cause
motion are not considered is called kinematics.

Fundamental Concepts & Units

Unit: Unity is defined as the numerical standard used to express the
qualitative measure of a physical quantity.
System of Units:
C.G.S Units
(Centimetre-Gram- Second system)
F.P.S Units
(Foot-Pound-Second system)
M.K.S Units
(Metre-Kilogram-Second system)
S.I Units (International system of units)
Note: In this book, the SI units have been adopted throughout the text.
Space: space is a region which extends to all directions and contains
everything in it example sun and its planets, stars, etc.
Reference System: The position of a body in space is determined
with respect to a reference system.
Examples:
1. The position of aircraft in space is determined with respect to earth.
2. The position of an object on the earth surface is determined with
reference to a fixed or immovable station on the earth by taking linear
and angular measurements.
Time: The indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the
past, present, and future regarded as a whole.
Unit of Time (T) = Second (S)
Matter: Any substance which occupies space is called matter. It is
made up of atoms.
Body: Any matter that is bounded by a closed surface (fixed volume) is
called a body.
Deformable body: A deformable body changes its shape or size when
subjected to external forces.
Mass: The mass of the body is the quantity of matter it contains. Mass
of a body does not vary with the location and orientation of the body.
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Unit of Mass (kg) = Kilogram (kg)

Particle: A body of negligible dimension is called a particle. A particle
occupies no space, i.e., it has no size, but has a definite mass
concentrated at a point.
Inertia: The resistance offered by a body to any change of its state of
motion or rest is called in inertia.
Solid: A substance possessing a definite shape and a definite volume is
called a solid.
Force: Force is a pull or push, which by acting on a body changes or
tends to change its state of rest or of uniform motion of the body.
A force is completely characterized by its point of application, its
magnitude and direction.
Force = mass x acceleration = ma = kg

m
s2

=N

Unit of Force (F) - Newton (N)

Force system: when a number of forces act on a body, they are called
a force system or system of forces.
Weight: The weight of a body is the force with which the earth attracts
the body towards its centre.
From Newtons second law of motion, the weight of the body (W) is
given by
W = mass x gravitational acceleration = mg = k
g = 9.81

m
s2

=N

m
s2

Unit of Weight (W) - Newton (N)

The value of g is known to vary, with the location of the body.
Thus the weight of the body varies with the location and
orientation of the body.
Equilibrium: a body acted upon by a system of forces is said to be in
equilibrium, if it either remains in a state of rest or continues to move in
a straight line with uniform velocity.
Motion: A body is said to be in motion, when it changes its position
with respect to a reference system. Thus the relative change in position
is called motion. Motion involves both space and time.
Trajectory: The motion of any body takes place along a definite path
with respect to a reference system. The path followed by a body during
its motion is called its trajectory, which may be a straight line or curve.
If the path is a straight line, the motion is said to be rectilinear. In
case it is a curve, the motion is called curvilinear.
Length: Unit of Length (m) = Metre (m)
Speed: The rate of change in distance with respect to time.

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Speed (S) =

Distance
Time

m
s

Velocity: The rate of change in displacement with respect to time.

ds
dt

Velocity (V) =
Unit of Velocity (V) =

Displacement
Time

m
s

m
s

Distance
Distance
A

Displacement
B

Acceleration: The rate of change in velocity with respect to time.

Acceleration (a) =

dv
dt

Velocity
Time

m
2
s

m
s2

Unit of Acceleration (a) =

Angular Velocity
Angular Velocity () =

d
dt

rad
s

rad
s

Unit of Angular velocity () =

= Angular Velocity
= Angular displacement
t = time

Angular Acceleration:
Angular Acceleration () =

d
dt

Unit of Angular Acceleration =

rad
2
s

rad
s2

= Angular Acceleration
Relationship between linear and angular Velocity:
r = radius
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v=
r

Relationship between linear and angular Acceleration:

a=
2
Area: Unit of Area = m
3
Volume: Unit of Volume (v) = m

mass
volume

Density: Density () =
Unit of Density () =

kg
m3

kg
m3

Energy: The capacity or power to do work.

Unit of Energy Joule = N.m
All forms of energy unit is Joule Ex:- K.E, P.E & etc.
Momentum: the quantity of motion of a moving body, measured as a
product of its mass and velocity.
Momentum = mass x velocity = kg

m
s2

=N

Unit of Momentum = Newton (N)

Impulse: Impulse = mass x velocity = kg

m
s

s = N.s
Unit of Impulse N.s
Moment: Moment = force x distance = N.m
Unit of moment = N.m
Power: power is the rate of doing work.
Power =

work
time

J
s

= Watt

Unit of Power = Watt

Pressure: Pressure (p) =

Unit of Pressure =

N
m2

Stress: Stress =

Load
Area

Unit of Stress =
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N
m2

force
area

N
m2

N
m2

= kg

m
s

s
s

= kg

m
s2

Plane Angle: Plane Angle = radian = rad

Unit of Plane Angle rad
Potential Energy: P.E = mass x acceleration due to gravity x height
=kg

m
2
s

m = N.m = Joule

Unit of P.E = Joule

1

Kinetic Energy: K.E = 2

2
m v = Joule

Unit of K.E = Joule

Torque: When a force is applied to a body it will produce a tendency for
the body to rotate about a point that is not on the line of action of the
force. This tendency to rotate is sometimes called a torque, but most
often it is called the moment of a force or simply the moment.
T = F * r * sin ( )
T = torque
F = linear force
r = distance measured from the axis of rotation to where the linear force
is applied

= the angle between F and r

In our equation sin( ) has no units,

r has units of meters (m), and
F has units of Newton (N).

SI prefixes:
Multiplication factor
12

1 000 000 000 000 = 10

9
1 000 000 000 = 10
6
1 000 000 = 10

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prefix
tera

SI symbol
T

giga

mega

kilo

hecto

deca

da

deci

centi

milli

106

micro

9
0.000 000 001 = 10

nano

pico

femto

atto

3
1 000 = 10
2
1 00 = 10
1
10 = 10
1
0.1 = 10
2
0.01 = 10
3
0.001 = 10

0.000 001 =

0.000 000 000 001 =

12

10

0.000 000 000 000 001 =

15

10

0.000 000 000 000 000

18
001 = 10

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