Engineering mechanics is the branch of the physical science which describes the response of bodies or systems of bodies to external behaviour of a body, in either a beginning state of rest or of motion, subjected to the action of forces. It bridges the gap between physical theory and its application to technology. It is used in many fields of engineering, especially mechanical engineering and civil engineering. Much of engineering mechanics is based on Sir Issac Newton’s laws of motion. Within the practical sciences, engineering mechanics is useful in formulating new ideas and theories, discovering and interpreting phenomena and developing experimental and computational tools. Engineering mechanics is the application of applied mechanics to solve problems involving common engineering elements. The goal of this engineering mechanics course is to expose students to problems in mechanics as applied to plausibly real-world scenarios. Problems of particular types are explored in detail in the hopes that students will gain an inductive understanding of the underlying principles at work; students should then be able to recognize problems of this sort in real-world situations and respond accordingly. Our hope is that this book, through its careful explanations of concepts, practical examples and figures bridges the gap between knowledge and proper application of that knowledge.
