This course provides students with a foundational understanding of Dynamics, focusing on the motion of particles and rigid bodies and the forces that cause and influence this motion. Building on principles learned in statics, the module equips students with analytical tools essential for engineering, naval architecture, and mechanical system design.
The course begins with the kinematics of a particle, where students learn to describe motion using position, velocity, and acceleration in various coordinate systems. Emphasis is placed on rectilinear and curvilinear motion, relative motion analysis, and the mathematical relationships governing time-dependent motion.
The module then advances to the kinetics of a particle, explored through three major approaches:
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Force and Acceleration – applying Newton’s Second Law to determine motion resulting from force systems
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Work and Energy – analyzing mechanical energy, power, efficiency, and energy conservation in dynamic systems
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Impulse and Momentum – studying impacts, momentum conservation, and impulsive motion
Building on these fundamentals, students progress to the kinetics of a rigid body, learning to describe and analyze both translational and rotational motion. Topics include:
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Force and Acceleration – equations of motion for rigid bodies, torque, and moment of inertia
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Work and Energy – rotational kinetic energy, power transmission, and energy methods applied to rigid systems
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Impulse and Momentum – angular momentum, impacts involving rigid bodies, and conservation principles