CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING MECHANICS

CHAPTER 1:

INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING 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. 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.
The subject was developed very early in history because its principles can
be formulated simply from measurements of geometry and force and since the
principles of dynamics depend on an accurate measurement of time, this subject
developed much later. Of those formulation, Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) and Isaac
Newton (1642–1727) was known for the development of the scientific method for
this subject matter.

CONTENT:
1. Terminologies and Basic Concepts
2. Units of Measurement
3. Numerical Calculations and Methodology
4. Unit Analysis, Conversions and Constants

ENGINEERING MECHANICS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING MECHANICS

1. TERMINOLOGIES AND BASIC CONCEPTS

Before we begin our study of engineering mechanics, it is important
to understand the meaning of certain fundamental concepts and principles.

 Basic Quantities - The following four quantities are used throughout

mechanics:
Length - Length is used to locate the position of a point in space and
thereby describe the size of a physical system. Once a standard unit of
length is defined, one can then use it to define distances and geometric
properties of a body as multiples of this unit.
Time - Time is conceived as a succession of events. Although the
principles of statics are time independent, this quantity plays an important
role in the study of dynamics.
Mass - Mass is a measure of a quantity of matter that is used to
compare the action of one body with that of another. This property
manifests itself as a gravitational attraction between two bodies and
provides a measure of the resistance of matter to a change in velocity.
Force - In general, force is considered as a “push” or “pull” exerted
by one body on another. In any case, a force is completely characterized by
its magnitude, direction, and point of application.

 Idealizations - Models or idealizations are used in mechanics in order to

simplify application of the theory. Here we will consider three important
idealizations.
Particle - A particle has a mass, but a size that can be neglected. For
example, the size of the earth is insignificant compared to the size of its
orbit, and therefore the earth can be modeled as a particle when studying its
orbital motion. When a body is idealized as a particle, the principles of

ENGINEERING MECHANICS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING MECHANICS

mechanics reduce to a rather simplified form since the geometry of the body
will not be involved in the analysis of the problem.
Rigid Body - A rigid body can be considered as a combination of a
large number of particles in which all the particles remain at a fixed
distance from one another, both before and after applying a load. This
model is important because the body’s shape does not change when a load
is applied, and so we do not have to consider the type of material from
which the body is made. In most cases the actual deformations occurring in
structures, machines, mechanisms, and the like are relatively small, and the
rigid-body assumption is suitable for analysis.
Concentrated Force - A concentrated force represents the effect of a
loading which is assumed to act at a point on a body. We can represent a
load by a concentrated force, provided the area over which the load is
applied is very small compared to the overall size of the body. An example
would be the contact force between a wheel and the ground.

 Newton’s Law of Motion - Engineering mechanics is formulated on the

basis of Newton’s three laws of motion, the validity of which are based on
experimental observation. These laws apply to the motion of a particle as
measured from a nonaccelerating reference frame. They may be briefly
stated as follows:
First Law - A particle originally at rest, or moving in a straight line
with constant velocity, tends to remain in this state provided the particle is
not subjected to an unbalanced force.

ENGINEERING MECHANICS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING MECHANICS

Second Law - A particle acted upon by an unbalanced force F

experiences an acceleration a that has the same direction as the force and a
magnitude that is directly proportional to the force.

Third Law - The mutual forces of action and reaction between two
particles are equal, opposite, and collinear, Fig. 1–1c.

 Newton’s Law of Gravitational Attraction - Shortly after formulating his

three laws of motion, Newton postulated a law governing the gravitational
attraction between any two particles. Stated mathematically:

Where:
F = force of gravitation between the two particles
G = universal constant of gravitation; according to experimental
evidence, G = 66.73 x 10-12 m3/ (kg - s2)
m1, m2 = mass of each of the two particles
r = distance between the two particles

Weight - According to equation above, any two particles or bodies

have a mutual attractive (gravitational) force acting between them. In
the case of a particle located at or near the surface of the earth,

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING MECHANICS

however, the only gravitational force having any sizable magnitude

is that between the earth and the particle. Consequently, this force,
termed the weight, will be the only gravitational force considered in
our study of mechanics. From the equation, we can develop an
approximate expression for finding the weight W of a particle having
a mass m1 = m. If we assume the earth to be a nonrotating sphere of
constant density and having a mass m2 = Me, then if r is the distance
between the earth’s center and the particle, we have:

Letting g = GMe /r2 yields:

By comparison with F = ma, we can see that g is the acceleration due

to gravity. Since it depends on r, then the weight of a body is not an
absolute quantity. Instead, its magnitude is determined from where
the measurement was made. For most engineering calculations,
however, g is determined at sea level and at a latitude of 45°, which
is considered the “standard location.”

2. UNITS OF MEASUREMENT
The four basic quantities—length, time, mass, and force—are not all
independent from one another; in fact, they are related by Newton’s second
law of motion, F = ma. Because of this, the units used to measure these
quantities cannot all be selected arbitrarily. The equality F = ma is
maintained only if three of the four units, called base units, are defined and
the fourth unit is then derived from the equation.

 SI Units - The International System of units, abbreviated SI after the French

“Système International d’Unités,” is a modern version of the metric system

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which has received worldwide recognition. As shown in Table below, the SI

system defines length in meters (m), time in seconds (s), and mass in
kilograms (kg). The unit of force, called a newton (N), is derived from F =
ma. Thus, 1 newton is equal to a force required to give 1 kilogram of mass
an acceleration of 1 m/s2 (N = kg – m/s2). If the weight of a body located at
the “standard location” is to be determined in newtons, then W = mg must
be applied. Here measurements give g = 9.80665m/s2; however, for
calculations, the value g = 9.81 m/s2 will be used. Thus,

Therefore, a body of mass 1 kg has a weight of 9.81 N, a 2-kg body weighs

19.62 N, and so on.

 U.S. Customary - In the U.S. Customary system of units (FPS) length is

measured in feet (ft), time in seconds (s), and force in pounds (lb). The unit
of mass, called a slug, is derived from F = ma. Hence, 1 slug is equal to the
amount of matter accelerated at 1 ft/s2 when acted upon by a force of 1 lb
(slug = lb-s2/ft). Therefore, if the measurements are made at the “standard
location,” where g = 32.2 ft/s2, then from W=mg;

And so a body weighing 32.2 lb has a mass of 1 slug, a 64.4-lb body has a
mass of 2 slugs, and so on.

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING MECHANICS

 Prefixes - When a numerical quantity is either very large or very small, the
units used to define its size may be modified by using a prefix. Some of the
prefixes used in the SI system are shown in table below. Each represents a
multiple or submultiple of a unit which, if applied successively, moves the
decimal point of a numerical quantity to every third place.* For example, 4
000 000 N = 4 000 kN (kilo-newton) = 4 MN (mega-newton), or 0.005 m = 5
mm (milli-meter). Notice that the SI system does not include the multiple
deca (10) or the submultiple centi (0.01), which form part of the metric
system. Except for some volume and area measurements, the use of these
prefixes is to be avoided in science and engineering

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3. NUMERICAL CALCULATIONS AND METHODOLOGY

Numerical work in engineering practice is most often performed by
using handheld calculators and computers. It is important, however, that
the answers to any problem be reported with justifiable accuracy using
appropriate significant figures. In this section we will discuss these topics
together with some other important aspects involved in all engineering
calculations.
 Dimensional Homogeneity - The terms of any equation used to describe a
physical process must be dimensionally homogeneous; that is, each term
must be expressed in the same units. Provided this is the case, all the terms
of an equation can then be combined if numerical values are substituted for
the variables. Consider, for example, the equation s = vt + ½ at2, where, in SI
units, s is the position in meters, m, t is time in seconds, s, v is velocity in
m/s and a is acceleration in m/s2. Regardless of how this equation is
evaluated, it maintains its dimensional homogeneity. In the form stated,
each of the three terms is expressed in meters [m, (m/s)s, (m/s2)/s2] or
solving for a, a = 2s/t2 - 2v/t, the terms are each expressed in units of m/s2
3m>s 2 , m>s 2 , (m>s)>s4 . Keep in mind that problems in mechanics
always involve the solution of dimensionally homogeneous equations, and
so this fact can then be used as a partial check for algebraic manipulations of
an equation.
 Calculations - When a sequence of calculations is performed, it is best to
store the intermediate results in the calculator. In other words, do not round
off calculations until expressing the final result. This procedure maintains
precision throughout the series of steps to the final solution. In this text we
will generally round off the answers to three significant figures since most
of the data in engineering mechanics, such as geometry and loads, may be
reliably measured to this accuracy. The following suggested methodology

ENGINEERING MECHANICS
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of problem solving may help the students to solve various complex

problems in this course:
• Read the problem carefully and try to correlate the actual physical
situation with the theory studied.
• Tabulate the problem data and draw to a large scale any necessary
diagrams.
• Apply the relevant principles, generally in mathematical form.
When writing any equations, be sure they are dimensionally homogeneous.
• Solve the necessary equations, and report the answer with the
required number of significant figures.
• Study the answer with technical judgment and common sense to
determine whether or not it seems reasonable.

4. UNIT ANALYSIS, CONVERSIONS AND CONSTANTS

One of the most important tools in solving related mechanics
problems is the knowledge of unit analysis, conversions and constant.
Engineers may wish to show a cancellation of unit to show a valid reason of
his/her solution in the given situation. Also, a clear understanding of the
units used in every engineering calculation may lead oneself in a less error
work.
Alternate
Quantity Symbol SI Units English Unit
English Unit
Length L m ft in
Mass m kg lbm slug
Time t s s s
Area A m2 ft2 in2
Volume V m3 ft3 in3
Velocity υ m/s ft/s mi/hr
Acceleration a m/s2 ft/s2 ft/s2
Angular Velocity ω rad/s rad/s rad/s
Angular
α rad/s2 rad/s2 rad/s2
Acceleration
Force, Weight F, W N lbf poundal

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Conversion of units

Linear 1 cavan = 25 gantas

1 Ganta = 3 liters
1 meter = 100cm
= 8 chupas
= 3.28ft
1 liter = 1000cm3
= 1.093 yard
1 fluid oz = 29.5737cm3
1ft = 12 inches
1 UK Gallon 277.42 in3
1 in = 25.4 mm
1 yard = 3ft
Angle
1 rod = 5.5 yards
360 degrees = 2π radians
= 16.5 ft
= 400 grads
1 furlong = 40 rods
= 6400 mils
= 220 yards
= 1 rev
Statute mile = 5280ft
1 deg = 60mins
Naut. mile = 6080ft
1 min = 60 sec
1 league = 3 Naut. Miles
Work and Energy
= 18,240 ft
1Btu = 778ft-lb
Cable length = 720ft
= 252cal
1 Fathom = 6 ft
= 1.055 kJ
1 Span = 9 inches
1cal = 4.187 J
1 Vara = 33.33 inches
1 Joule = 1N-m
1 Mil = 0.001 in
1 erg = 1 Dyne-cm
Area
= 10-7 Joule
1 hectare = 10,000m2
Power
1 acre = 43, 560yd2
1hp = 550 ft-lb/s
Volume
= 2545 Btu/hr
1 US Gallon = 3.7854li
= 0.746 kW
= 4 quarts
= 1.014 Mhp
1 US Barrel = 42US Gallons

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Pressure Long Ton = 2240 lbs

1 atm = 101.325kPa
= 14.7psi
= 760mmHg
= 29.92inHg
= 1.033kg/cm2
1 bar = 100kPa
Mass and Weight
1 Ton = 2000 lbs
1kgf = 9.81 N
1 kg = 2.205lbs
1lb = 16ounces

Numerical Prefixes Equivalent Factor

Peta 1015
Tera 1012
Giga 109
Mega 106
Kilo 103
Hecto 102
Deca 101
-
Deci 10-1
Centi 10-2
Milli 10-3
Micro 10-6
Nano 10-9
Pico 10-12
Femto 10-15

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NAME: _________________________________ DATE: ____________

SR CODE: _____________
SECTION: _____________
ACTIVITY #1

In engineering handwriting and solution format, solve logically the

following problems below.

1. What is the weight in newtons of an object that has a mass of (a) 8 kg, (b)
0.04 kg, and (c) 760 Mg?

2. Convert: (a) 200 lb - ft to N - m, (b) 350 lb/ft3 to kN/m3 , (c) 8 ft/h to mm/s.

3. The density (mass/volume) of aluminum is 5.26 slug/ft3. Determine its

density in SI units.

4. Determine the gravitational force acting between two spheres that are
touching each other. The mass of each sphere is 200kg and the radius is
300mm.

5. The Pascal (Pa) is actually a very small unit of pressure. To show this,
convert 1 Pa = 1 N/m2 to lb/ft2. Atmosphere pressure at sea level is
14.7lb/in2. How many Pascals is this?

6. Water has a density of 1.94 slug/ft3. What is the density expressed in SI

units?

7. A concrete column has a diameter of 350mm and a length of 2m. If the

density (mass/volume) of concrete is 2.45 Mg/m3, determine the weight of
the column in pounds.
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8. If a man weighs 155lb on earth, specify (a) his mass in slugs, (b) his mass in
kilograms, and (c) his weight in newtons?

9. If the man stated in the previous problem is on the moon, where the
acceleration due to gravity is gm = 5.30 ft/s2, determine (d) his weight in
pounds, and (e) his mass in kilograms.

10. Two particles have a mass of 8kg and 12kg, respectively. If they are 800mm
apart, determine the force of gravity acting between them. Compare this
result with the weight of each particle.

ENGINEERING MECHANICS