Fundamentalprinciplesofengineering-Skillbank.pptVIP

Fundamental principles of engineering BADI Year 1 Fundamental principles Suppose we design a chair. We need to know how much weight the chair must support. We could safely make the chair from a solid block of steel, or mahogany. However these would be expensive and rather heavy! (also not very green!) For elegance and economy we usually choose to use the minimum amount of material. This must be based on an understanding of the stresses imposed on each part of the chair, and the ability of the materials used to withstand these stresses. So we need to learn some physics! Fundamental principles 1: Newton抯 laws (1642 -1727) A body will continue in a state of rest or uniform straight-line motion unless acted upon by a force The acceleration of a body is dependent on its mass and the total force acting on it F = m a Every action has an equal and opposite reaction Mass : the amount of matter in a body We experience mass in two main ways: Through the effort required to lift the body against the earth抯 gravity, and Through its resistance to acceleration, i.e. its inertia. Try picking up a dumbell and shaking it rapidly. You are attempting to accelerate the dumbell and this takes a lot of force. NB Mass is not the same as weight! We measure mass in kg but your dumbell (10kg) would weigh nothing in space ?however it would have the same amount of matter, and be just as hard to accelerate! Force Cant be seen, we experience force By its effects on our body and the way in which we need to oppose it to maintain our balance. By observing the effect it has on objects around us. Force is measured in Newtons (N) and 1 Newton is roughly the force exerted by an apple in the earth抯 gravitation. (Actually 1kg m s-2: 9.81N is the force exerted by 1kg) Forces in equilibrium A man of mass m = 60kg experiences a force of F = 60 * 9.81 N = 588N due to gravity. (2) If he was able to move freely in any direction (eg jump off roof) he would fall with an accelerati