INTRODUCTION

• Engineering Mechanics – defined as the

science which considers the effects of forces
on rigid bodies. It is divided into two parts:
statics, and dynamics
• Statics – branch of mechanics concerned with
equilibrium of bodies at rest or moving in
constant velocity; while
• Dynamics – branch of mechanics concerned
with bodies in motion; study of effects of
forces to bodies in motion; study of forces in
motion to bodies also in motion. Dynamics is
divided into two branches called kinematics
and kinetics.
 Historically, principles of dynamics developed
when it was possible to make an accurate
measurement of time. Galileo Galilei was one of
the first major contributors to this field. His work
consisted of experiments using pendulums and
falling bodies. However, the most significant
contributions in dynamics were made by Isaac
Newton who is noted for his formulation of
three fundamental laws of motion.1

1. Hibbeler, R. C. 2010. Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics. 12th edition. p. 4

• Kinematics – geometry of motion; define the
motion of particle or body without
consideration of forces causing motion;
treatment of relation between displacement,
velocity and acceleration
• Kinetics – relates force acting on a body to its
mass and acceleration
 MOTION OF A PARTICLE
• Particle – denotes an object of point size
• Body – system of particles which form an
object of appreciable size
• Rigid body – solid body in which deformation
is neglected; distance between two particles
in a body remain in constant even when
external forces are applied to it
 The kinematic discussion of the motion of a
particle depends on the definition of
displacement, velocity and acceleration.
 POSITION, s
P
s
O
s

The straight line path of the particle can be

described using a single coordinate axis s. The
origin O on the path is a fixed point, and from
this point the coordinate s is used to define the
position of particle P at any instant.
Position...
• has the properties of a vector
• magnitude and distance can be measured
from O to P, usually measured in feet or
meters
• (+) when particle is located to right of origin O
• (-) when particle is located to left of origin O
 DISPLACEMENT, ∆s
P P’
s
O
s ∆s
s’

Displacement of the particle is defined as

change in position. Referring from the figure, if
the particle moves from P to P’, the
displacement is:
Displacement...
• has the properties of a vector
• (+) when particle’s final position is to the right
of initial position (s’ > s)
• (-) when particle particle’s final position is to
the left of initial position (s’ < s)
 DISTANCE TRAVELLED, sT
Distance travelled...
• Positive scalar quantity which represents the
total length of path traversed by the particle
• ALWAYS positive
 VELOCITY, v
P P’
s
O
∆s

If particle moves from P to P’ with

displacement ∆s during time interval ∆t, the
average velocity of the particle during this time
interval is
 Occasionally, the term average speed is
used. The average speed is a positive scalar and
defined as total distance travelled by particle sT
divided by elapsed time ∆t,
 ACCELERATION, a
a
P P’
s
O
v v’

-a
P P’
s
O
v v’
Provided that the velocities for the particle are
known at two points P and P’, average
acceleration for the particle during time interval
∆t,
 Both average and instantaneous velocity
can be positive or negative. When particle is
slowing down, it is said to be decelerating (v’<v).
When velocity is constant, acceleration is
constant. Units commonly used to express
acceleration are m/s2 or ft/s2
 CONSTANT ACCELERATION
When acceleration is constant, kinematic
equations may be integrated to obtain formulas
that relate ac, v, s, t.
1. Velocity as function of time
2. Position as function of time

2. Velocity as function of position

 The three equations are only useful when
acceleration is constant and when t = 0, s = so, v
= vo.
One common example is when a body falls
freely towards the earth. If air resistance is
neglected and distance of fall is short, then
constant downward acceleration of the body
when it is close to the earth is 9.81 m/s2 or 32.2
ft/s2
 EXAMPLE 1
The bicyclist has a constant acceleration of
2 ft/s2. If he starts from rest, determine velocity
and position when t = 5 s.
 EXAMPLE 2
The car moves in a straight line such that
for a short time its velocity is defined by 𝑣 =
9𝑡 2 + 2𝑡 ft/s where t is in seconds. Determine
position and acceleration when t = 3 sec.
 EXAMPLE 3
A boy tosses a ball in the vertical
direction off the side of a cliff. If the
initial velocity of the ball is 15 m/s
upward, and the ball is released 40
m from the bottom of the cliff,
determine the maximum height SB
reached by the ball and the velocity
of the ball just before it hits the
ground.
 EXAMPLE 4
A particle moves along a horizontal straight
line such that its velocity is given by 𝑣 = (3𝑡 2 −
6𝑡) m/s where t is the time in seconds. If it is
initially located at the origin O, determine
distance travelled during time interval t = 0 to t
= 3.5s, the average velocity, the average speed
of the particle during this time interval.
 SOURCE
• Engineering Dynamics by R.C. Hibbeler
• Engineering Mechanics by Ferdinand Singer