ENGINEERING MECHANIC JJ205

1.0 BASIC CONCEPT ON STATICS

1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Understand the basic measurement quantities Understanhe basic concept but vital to the statics Understand scalars and vectors Understand the Newtons Laws of Motion Apply the principles of SI system and unit

1.1

UNDERSTAND THE BASIC MEASUREMENT QUANTITIES

Fundamental Quantities. Four fundamental quantities commonly used in mechanics are length , time , mass , and force. In general , the magnitude of each of these quantities is defined by an arbitrarily chosen unit or standrand. Length. The concept of length is needed to locate the position of a point in space and thereby to describe the size of a physical system. The standard unit of length measurement is the meter (m), which is represented by 1650 763.73 wavelength of light produced from the orange red line Of the spectrum of krypton 86. All other unit of length are defined in term of this standard. For example , 1 foot (ft) is equal to 0.3048 m. Time. The concept of time is conceived by a succession of events. The standard unit used for its measurement is the second (s), which is based on the duration of 9 192 631 770 cycles of vibration of an isotope cesium 133. Mass. The mass of a body is regarded as a quantitative property of matter used to measure the resistance of matter to a change in velocity . The standard unit of mass is the kilogram (kg), defined by a bar of platinum iridium alloy kept at the international Bureau of Weights and Measures in Sevres,France. Force. In general,force is considered as a push or pull exerted by one body on another. This interaction can occur when there is either direct contact between bodies , such as a person pushing on a wall ,or it can occur through a distance by which the bodies are physically separated. Example of the latter type include gravitational, electrical,and magnetic forces . In any case, a force is completely characterized by its magnitude, direction and point of application. Most often, engineers define the standard unit of force using either the newton (N) or the pound (Ib).

System of Unit. The four fundamental 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.hence, the unit use to define force, mass, length, and time cannot all be selected arbitrarily. The equality F=ma is maintained only if three of the for units, called base units, are arbitrarily defined and the forth unit is derived from the equation. Table 1-1 systems of units

Name International system of units (SI) U.S customary (FPS)

Length meter (m)

Time second (s) 120 second (s)

Mass

Force

kilogram Newton (KG) (N) ( kg. m/ s2) slug* Pound ( Ib . s2/ft) (Ib)

foot

SCALAR AND VECTORS

SCALAR A quantity possessing only a magnitude is called scalar. Mass, volume and length are scalar quantities often used in statics. Scalars are indicating by letters in italic type, such as the scalar A. The mathematical operations involving scalars follow the same rules as those of element algebra. VECTOR
Vector a quantity that has both magnitude and direction and add according to the parallelogram law. Vector quantities commonly used in statics are position, force and moment vectors. For handwritten work, vector is generally represented by a letter with an arrow written over it, such as . The magnitude is designated by , or simply A.

A vector is represented graphically by an arrow, which is used to define its magnitude, line of action, and direction. The magnitude of vector is indicated by the length of arrow, and its direction is indicated by an arrow head. For example, the vector A shown below has a magnitude of 4 units and is directed upward, along its line of action, which is above the horizontal. The point 0 is called the tail of the vector; the point P is the tip.

The International System of Units The SI system of units is used in this book since it will eventually become the worldwide stardard for measurement. Consequently, the rules for its use and some of its terminology relevant to mechanics will now be presented. 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. Each represents a multiple or submultiple of a unit which, if applied successively, moves the deimal point of a numerical quantity to every third place. *For example,4000000N=4000kN (kilo-newton)=4MN(mega-newton), or0.005m=5mm(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 old metric system. Except for some volume and area measurements, the use of these prefixes is to be avoided in science and engineering. Rules for Use. The following rules are given for the proper use of the various Si symbols: 1. A symbol is never written with a plural s ,since it ay be confused with the unit for second(s). 2. Quantities defined by several units which are multiples of one another are separated by a dot to avoid confusion with prefix notation, as illustrated by N=kgm/s=kgms . 3. Physical constants or numbers having several digits on either side of the decimal point should be reported with a space between every three digits rather than with a comma,eg; 73 569.213 427. In the case of four digits on either side of the decimal, the spacing is optional,eg; 8537 or 8 537. Furthermore,always try to use decimals and avoid fractions; that is,write 15.25,not 15.

When learning to use SI units,it is generally agreed that one should not think in terms of conversion factors between systems. Instead,it is better to think only in terms of SI units. A feeling for these units can only be gained through experience. As a memory aid,it might be helpful to recall that a standard flashlight battery or a small apple weighs about 1 newton. Your body is a suitable reference for small distances.

Mass and Weight The mass of a body is an absolute quantity since its measurement can be made at any location. The weight of a body,however,is not absolute since it is measured in a gravitational field and hence its magniture depends upon where the measurement is made. The mass and weight of a body are measured differently in the SI and FPS systems,and the method of defining the units should be thoroughly understood. SI System of Units. In the SI system the mass of the body is specified in ksg and weight must be calculated using the equation F=ma. Hence,if a body has a mass of m(kg)and is located at a point

where the acceleration due to gravity is g(m/s),then the weight is expressed in newtons as Wmg(N). In particular, if the body is located on the earth at sea level and at a latitude of 45(considered the standard location ),the acceleration due to gravity is g=9.806 65m/s. For calculations, the value g=9.81m/s will be used,so that W=mg(N) (g=9.81m/s) Therefore, a body of mass 1kg has a weight of 9.81N;a 2-kg body weighs 19.62N; and so on. FPS System of Units. In the FPS system the weight of the body is specified in lb and the mass must be calculated from F=ma. Hence,if a body has a weight of W(lb) and is located at a point where the acceleration due to gravity is g(ft/s),then the mass is expressed in slugs as m=W/g(slug). Since the acceleration of gravity at the stardard location is approximately 32.2ft/s (=9.81m/s),the mass of the body measured in slugs is

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