It will be mostly revision this session as we are looking at mechanics. Before we get going, let’s look at a very quick overview of the main principles of mechanics.
Mechanics in 200 seconds!
Resolving Forces
Free body diagrams are the bread and butter of how we solve basic mechanics. In this video Joel shows how the basic construct is developed.
To investigate resolving forces, we found a simple structure that could be measured and evaluated in the back garden. This video looks at taking the basic measurements required for a simple hand analysis.
This video runs through the basic maths required to calculate the internal forces in the hanging basket bracket example.
Momentum and Impulse
In this video Sean revises the principles of momentum and impulse and goes through a couple of worked examples.
Work, Energy and Power
And this video looks at energy, power and efficiency.
Conservation of energy example
In this video, Sean shows how a simple setup with two bottles and some string can demonstrate the principle of conservation of energy. Can you explain the system’s behaviour?
Want to find out more?
For each session we will highlight some further resources where you can find out more – these are not essential but if you are interested you might find them interesting.
Book Suggestion
Think Like an Engineer: Inside the minds that are changing our lives by Guru Madhavan, Oneworld, 2016.
An insight into the extraordinary influence engineering has upon society, demonstrating how key engineering concepts can help us solve problems and make better decisions in a complex world.
Watch this
Disruptors: Smart power – BBC News – A short BBC News programme discussing how the old ways of generating and distributing power are being challenged by smarter methods. The push towards renewable energy and the quest for greater efficiency mean that we need to find better ways of storing energy.
Time to have a go
Most weeks there will be an opportunity for you to have a go at a straightforward physics problem. This week we have a slightly less well-structured problem. How would you go about estimating the efficiency of modern electric or hybrid vehicles? What are the energy transfer processes? Are there any other losses? What research can you undertake to find typical values? Are they ever as good as the manufacturers claim? Pick a vehicle and have a go.
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