TOPIC 1: BASIC CONCEPTS AND DEFINITION

ENGINEERING MECHANICS ALSO CALLED STRENGTH OF MATERIALS

 is a branch of engineering science that deals with the behavior of solid bodies and fluids when subjected to external
forces or loads.
 is the branch of mechanics that studies how solid objects resist deformation and failure under applied forces. It helps
engineers design structures and mechanical components that can withstand stresses without failing.

ENGINEERING MECHANICS

MECHANICS OF SOLIDS DEFORMABLE BODIES MECHANICS OF FLUIDS

RIGID BODIES STRENGTH OF MATERIALS

STATICS DYNAMICS

KINETICS KINEMATICS

MECHANICS OF SOLIDS
 is a branch of Engineering Mechanics that deals with the behavior of solid materials under different types of loading
conditions. It focuses on how solids respond to external forces, stresses, and deformations while maintaining structural
integrity.
DEFORMABLE BODIES
 is a solid object that undergoes changes in shape and size when subjected to external forces, temperature changes, or
other environmental factors. This is in contrast to a rigid body, which is assumed to remain undeformed regardless of
applied forces.
MECHANICS OF FLUIDS
 is the branch of physics that studies the behavior of fluids (liquids, gases, and plasmas) and their interactions with solid
boundaries. It is essential in various engineering fields, including mechanical, civil, aerospace, and electrical
engineering (e.g., cooling systems and HVAC design).
PARTICLES and RIGID BODIES
Particles:
A particle is an idealized object that has mass but negligible size and shape.
 It is often represented as a point mass located at a specific position is space. Forces acting on a particle can cause it to
accelerate according to Newton’s second law of motion. The motion of a particle can be described by its position,
velocity and acceleration vectors.

Rigid Bodies:
A Rigid Body is an object that has a definite size, shape and mass distribution.
  is an idealized concept where a solid object is assumed to have a fixed shape and size, meaning it does not deform
under applied forces.
 The mass of a rigid body is distributed throughout its volume with different parts of the body having varying densities.
Forces and Moments (torques) acting on a rigid body can cause translational motion (linear motion) and rotational
motion, respectively. Rigid bodies can be in static equilibrium when the net force and net torque acting on them are
zero.
MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PARTICLE AND RIGID BODIES
PARTICLES RIGID BODIES
Point like objects that experience only translational motion Rigid bodies can experience both translational and rotational
motion
Motion is described by linear kinematics and dynamics Rigid bodies require additional concepts such as moments of
inertia, angular kinematics and dynamics

Often used to model point masses, particles in fluids or small Rigid Bodies are used to model larger objects such as
objects with negligible size machines, structures, vehicles and mechanisms.
An example is a mass attached to a spring undergoing An example is a rotating when on an axle where both
simple harmonic, where the motion is described by its translational motion (forward motion of vehicle) and rotational
displacement, velocity, and acceleration along a straight line. motion (spin of the wheel) are considered.

BRANCHES 0F MECHANICS OF RIGID BODIES

STATICS
 Deals with the equilibrium of bodies under the action of forces.
 It focuses on objects that are at rest moving at constant velocities (zero acceleration).
DYNAMICS
 Deals with the motion of bodies under the influence of forces.
 It includes the study of acceleration, velocity, and displacement of objects as they respond to external forces.

THE 2 BRANCHES OF DYNAMICS

KINETICS
 Description of motion without considering the forces causing the motion, including displacement, velocity, and
acceleration.
KINEMATICS
 Study of the forces causing motion, including newton’s laws of motion and their application to particle and
rigid body motion.

PHYSICAL QUANTITIES IN MECHANICS

1. Scalar Quantity – is a quantity that has magnitude only.

Examples: speed, distance, volume, current & etc.
 2. Vector Quantity – is a quantity that has magnitude and direction.
Examples: force gravity, displacement, acceleration, momentum, etc.

FORCES: Its Components and Resultant

Force – is any influence that tend to change the state (@rest or in motion) of the body.
- Is defined as a push, or pull exerted by one body to another.
Force Components – refer to the individual forces that make up a single force acting on an object.
Forces can be resolved into components along different axes or directions.

RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS POLAR COMPONENTS

Forces can be resolved into components along Forces can be resolved into components along radial
perpendicular (usually horizontal and vertical) axes. and tangential directions, especially in circular or polar
These components are often denoted F x ∧F y , coordinate systems. These components are often
representing the horizontal and vertical forces, denoted as F r∧F theta, representing the radial and
respectively. tangential forces.

Different Types of Forces:

a. Colinear Forces – are forces that act on a same line of action.
b. Parallel Forces – are forces that are of the same angle to one another. Couple is a pair of parallel
forces of the same magnitude but opposite in direction.
c. Frictional Forces – a force that always acts in opposite direction to the applied force.
d. Coplanar Forces – are forces lying on the same plane.
e. Concurrent Forces – are forces that meet in one common point.
f. Non Concurrrent Forces – are forces that do not meet in one common point.

THE RESULTANT OF FORCES IS THE SINGLE FORCE THAT HAS THE SAME EFFECT AS ALL THE INDIVIDUAL FORCES ACTING TOGETHER.

It represents the combine effect of multiple forces on an object.

F1 resultant force

F2

CONCURRENT FORCE SYSTEMS refer to a configuration of forces where all the forces act at a common point or have their
lines of action intersect at a single point.
Understanding concurrent force systems is crucial for analyzing the equilibrium and stability of structures and force systems.

Quiz 1. Problem Solving

Instructions: Solve the following problems and box your final
answer. (5 points each)

1. A force of 800N is applied at an angle of 60˚ below the horizontal. Calculate the components of the force along the x-
axis and y-axis.
Fx = 400 N Fy = -693 N
2. An Dual-purpose lighting poles is supported by a guy wire which exerts a pull of 140N on the top of the post. If the angle
between the guy wire and the ground is 50˚, determine the vertical component of the force supporting the pole.
107N
3. A container box is being pulled by of a force of 25lb exerted in a rope inclined 45˚ with horizontal. What is the effective
component of the force pulling the box? Express your answer in Newton. 1 lb = 4.44822 N
78.63N
4. Two forces, 40 N and 70 N, act at a point with an included angle of 90°. Find the angle α that the resultant force makes
with the 40 N force.
α ≈ 60.3 R = 80.6 N
5. Three forces act at a point: F₁ = 60 N at 0°, F₂ = 40 N at 90°, and F₃ = 50 N at 210°. Determine the magnitude and
direction of the resultant force.
R ≈ 22.5 N, θ ≈ 41.8˚from the positive x-axis.
6. Two forces of 20 units and 30 units act at right angles. What is the magnitude of the resultant force?
36 units