Introduction to

Engineering
Mechanics
Dr. Wayne Whiteman
Director of the Office of Student Services
and Senior Academic Professional
School of Mechanical Engineering

This course is an introduction to learning and applying the

principles required to solve engineering mechanics problems.

School of Mechanical Engineering

Module 1 Learning Outcomes

Describe what makes engineering different from
science
List the major topics in the course
Identify the systems of units used in the course
Express the typical units of
measurement for the quantities
of distance, force, and mass

What is Engineering?

Whats different about engineers and

scientists?

What Do Engineers Do?

The scientist describes what is.
The engineer creates what never was.
Theodore von KarmanHungarian-American physicist and aeronautical engineer

Engineering Mechanics/Engineering Science

Math
Physics
Basic Sciences

How the physical

world works

Mechanical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Material Science Engineering
Other Engineering

Application of
science to fill a
human need
5

Introduction to Engineering Mechanics Overview

Forces
Components of a vector (2D and 3D Forces)
Particle Equilibrium
Balance of forces on a particle
Moments
Moments of force about a point
Moments of force about a line/axis
Couples
Equilibrium Equations and Equivalent Systems
Resultants
Distributed forces
Centroids
Method of Composite Parts
Equilibrium of Rigid Bodies
Free-Body Diagrams
Equilibrium in 2D and 3D
6

Units

English

SI (metric)

Distance
Force
Mass
Gravitational constant, g