Lesson 1: Fundamentals of Mechanics

Question 1

What is mechanics?

Answer 1

Mechanics is the science of describing and predicting the conditions of rest and motion of bodies under the action of forces.

Question 2

What are the three branches of mechanics?

Answer 2

1. Statics – Bodies at rest.
2. Dynamics – Bodies in motion.
3. Mechanics of materials – Deformable bodies.

Question 3

What are the two main types of quantities in mechanics?

Answer 3

1. Scalars – Have only magnitude (e.g., mass, time, speed).
2. Vectors – Have both magnitude and direction (e.g., force, velocity).

Question 4

What are the fundamental SI units used in mechanics?

Answer 4

• Length: meters (m)
• Mass: kilograms (kg)
• Time: seconds (s)
• Force: newtons (N)
• Pressure: pascals (Pa)

Question 5

What is a force?

Answer 5

A force is a vector quantity that causes motion or deformation in a body.

Question 6

What are the three characteristics of a force?

Answer 6

1. Magnitude
2. Direction
3. Point of application

Question 7

What is the resultant force?

Answer 7

The single force that has the same effect as multiple applied forces.