Biophysics

INTRODUCTORY MECHANICS

Dr. Liviu Bîlteanu

27 February 2019
STATICS
1) Define and illustrate the notion of
force as vector
FORCE AS VECTOR QUANTITY
DEFINITION OF FORCE
Changing the movement state of a object, ie changing in the norm or
the direction of its velocity vector (accelerating the object), is
achievable only by the action of another object (or objects).

The measure of the action of a object on another object is a

physical quantity called force.
 ⃗ -traction force (comes from the string)
⃗ -the gravitational force (comes from Earth)
⃗⃗-the reaction force of the support (comes from support)
⃗⃗⃗⃗-the friction force (comes from support)
2) Define and illustrate the notion of
an equivalent system of forces.
FORCE SYSTEMS
Often on a object, act simultaneously more forces:
The set of forces acting simultaneously on a object is called a
system of forces.

⃗ -traction force (comes from the string)

⃗ -the gravitational force (comes from Earth)
⃗⃗-the reaction force of the support (comes from support)
⃗⃗⃗⃗-the friction force (comes from support)
EQUIVALENT SYSTEMS OF FORCES

Systems of forces having the same result are equivalent and

have the same effect on the object they act.
3) When the force is represented by a bound
vector and when it is represented by a sliding
vector?
FORCE AS BOUND VECTORS

If the effect of the force acting on a object depends on its

application point (on the force direction OO'), the force is a bound
vector. This situation occurs in deformable objects, such as the
rubber ring (in the figure above).
FORCE AS SLIDING VECTOR

If the effect of the force acting on a object is the same regardless of

its action point (on its support), the force is a sliding vector. This
situation occurs in rigid objects.
4) State the principle of the independence of force
action.
THE PRINCIPLE OF FORCE ACTION INDEPENDENCE

The sense, direction and module of a force that acts in a given

system of forces, are not altered by the presence (or the absence)
of other forces in the system; the action of each force is
independent of the other.

This principle applies to all vector quantities.

 5) Moment of force with respecte to a point
(definition, mathematical expression, illustration)
THE MOMENT OF FORCE WITH RESPECT TO A POINT

The physical quantity describing the rotation effect of a force

applied to a rigid object is called the moment of that force with
respect to the point on which the object is fixed.
⃗⃗⃗ ⃗ ⃗
The moment of a force is a vector quantity.
The distance d from the point around which the object rotates to the
force support is called the force “arm”.

⃗⃗⃗ ⃗ ⃗
6) Describe the mechanical equilibrium (the
equilibrium conditions).
GENERAL CONDITIONS OF EQUILIBRIUM
THE FIRST EQUILIBIRUM CONDITION (translation)
We consider a material point (a dimensionless object from
geometric viewpoint). As a result, it can not perform a rotation
motion; the only movement which it performs under the action of
forces is the translation movement.
It is said that a object or a particle is in equilibrium if its state of
motion is constant in time: i.e. if it is at rest, it stays at rest; if it is
moving it remains in uniform motion.
The necessary and sufficient condition for a particle to be in
equilibirum is that the resultant of the forces acting on it is null.
⃗⃗ ∑⃗
or on components :

∑ ∑ ∑

where ⃗ ⃗ are the forces acting on the given particle.

If in the case of finite-sized objects we are only interested in the
translational motion, then the equilibrium condition is applicable to
these objects too.
THE SECOND EQUILIBRIUM CONDITION (rotation)
Under the action of the forces acting on it, a rigid object can execute
both translational and rotational motions. Two equilibrium
conditions are therefore required.
The rotation equilibrium condition is:

∑ ⃗⃗⃗⃗

The second condition of equilibrium is valid only for the rigid

objects.
 7) Describe (qualitatively and graphically) the
equilibrium of objects (attention not the
equilibrium conditions) in the following cases: (1)
free objects; (2) suspended objects.
EQUILIBRIUM OF FINITE-SIZED OBJECTS
The equilibrium of the objects can be stable, unstable and
indifferent.
THE FREE OBJECT EQUILIBRIUM
Stable equilibrium of free objects

A object occupies a stable equilibrium position in space, if leaving

this position for any other immediate neighboring position and left
free it returns, finally to the initial equilibrium position.
Unstable equilibrium of free objects

A object occupies a unstable equilibrium position in space, if

leaving this position for any other immediate neighboring position
and left free it will never return to the initial equilibrium position
(seeking it another equilibrium position).
Indifferent equilibrium of free objects

A object occupies an indifferent equilibrium position in space, if

any other immediate neighboring position is yet an equilibrium
position.
EQUILIBRIUM OF SUSPENDED OBJECTS
In the case of the suspended objects, the equilibrium state is
characterized by the fact that the weight point of application - the
object center of gravity - is on the same direction with the
suspension point. In this configuration the articulation reaction
force and the weight are on the same vertical direction, they have
equal norms but opposite senses.
a) Stable equilibrium of suspended the objects

A suspended object is in stable equilibrium if its center of gravity

lies on the vertical direction passing through the suspension point
below this point. Leaving this position the object returns finally to
it.
b) Unstable equilibrium of the suspended

A suspended object is in unstable equilibrium if its center of gravity

lies on the vertical direction passing through the suspension point
above this point. Leaving this position the object will never return to
it.
c) The indifferent equilibrium of the suspended objects

A object is in an indifferent equilibrium if its suspension point is the

weight application point (center of gravity).
KINEMATICS
8) Movement and rest (definition). Reference
systems (definition and classification)
MOVEMENT AND REST
A object is called mobile or moving, if it constantly changes its
position with respect to other objects considered "fixed".

A object is said to be at rest if its position with respect to other

objects, considered "fixed", does not change over time.
Mechanical movement and rest are relative because in nature we can
not find absolute fixed objects; mechanical movement and rest are
defined with respect to assumed fixed objects, which in fact also
move towards other objects.
REFERENCE SYSTEMS

The reference object, along with the initial time, forms a spatio-
temporal reference system.

There are two types of reference systems:

— Inertial reference systems (IRS)
— Non-inertial reference systems (NIRS).
Reference systems in rest or in uniform motion are called inertial.
Reference systems in accelerated motion are called non-inertial.
9) Movement elements and motion types (the
material point case).
MATERIAL POINT AND TRANSLATION MOVEMENT

A certain point in a physical object, concentrating all the substance

of that object and to whom all the mass is attributed, is called a
material point.

The movement of an object in which any line joining two points

belonging to the object remains parallel to itself during movement,
and in which, consequently, all the points perform identical
movements, is called translational movement.
THE MOVEMENT ELEMENTS
The movement law and the trajectory are the elements of the
movement.
The elements of the movement fully characterize the movement and
therefore any classification of the mechanical movement must be
based on them.
The vector r(t), which specifies the space position of the material
point, at any time, is called a position vector.
• x=x(t), y=z =const — one-dimensional motion on OX
• x=x(t), y=y(t), z=const — two-dimensional motion in the XY
plane
• x=x(t), y=y(t), z=z(t) — movement in three-dimensional space
To study the movement of the material point means to find the
explicit time dependence of the coordinates of the point
⃗ ⃗
the law of motion
The set of points occupied successively by the tip of the position
vector during the movement of a material point define a curve called
the motion trajectory.
The length of the path followed by the material point, i.e. the length
of the trajectory, is called space.
Space should not be confused with the trajectory. The material point
can go through the same space on completely different trajectories;
on a straight line, on a circle, on a parable etc. Space is a physical
quantity, while the trajectory is not. Therefore, the trajectory does
not have a unit of measure.
DYNAMICS
10) Law of inertia under different types of forces.
NEWTON'S FIRST LAW: INERTIAL LAW (LEX PRIMA)

Any object stays in its relative rest or uniform motion state as long
as its interaction with other objects does not change it.
INTERACTION. FORCE
The influences that the objects exert on others are called
interactions. We say that interactions between objects cause the
movement or resting of objects. There are four types of interactions
in physics:
 gravitational interactions — which manifests itself among all
the objects of nature;
 electromagnetic interactions — which is manifested between
electrically charged at rest or on the move;
 strong or nuclear interactions — which is manifested in some
processes inside the nucleus, such as nuclear reactions;
 weak interactions — which is manifested in certain processes of
disintegration of elementary particles, such as β disintegration.
Effects of forces

Force is a physical vector quantity that characterizes the

interaction between bodies.
Force may have the following effects on the object:
• speed change — acceleration (dynamic effect).
• changing the shape or size of the object - the deformation (static
effect).
Types of mechanical forces
1) Elastic forces — within the interaction by contact between objects,
when their shape or size changes.
2) Friction forces — the contact between the moving bodies, tend to
move relative to one another and have the effect of slowing down the
movement of the bodies or preventing their movement.
3) Gravitational forces — long range forces, acting between all bodies
explaining the fall and the weight of objects.
4) Connecting forces — limiting the moving possibilities of moving
objects.
5) Inertia forces — acting on objects described within non-linear
reference systems.
NEWTON's first law: LAW OF INERTIA (LEX PRIMA)

If the resultant of all the forces acting on an object is null then the
object keeps indefinitely its relative rest or the rectilinear and
uniform motion in which it is found.
INERTIA AND MASS
The property of free bodies to move in uniform and rectilinear
motion is called inertia.

The physical quantity which quantitatively characterizes the object

inertia, being proportional to the quantity of substance contained in
the body, is called mass (inert mass).
11) Physical systems (definition, types, examples).
Internal forces and external forces.
Newton's second law: the fundamental law of dynamics
(Lex secunda)
PHYSICAL SYSTEM

Two or more bodies involved in a physical process form a physical

system.
Example 1 : A weightlifter together with the weight he raises, forms
a physical system of two bodies. The weightlifter, the weight and
the Earth form a three-body system. The weightlifter, the weight,
the Earth and the Sun form a physical system of four bodies.
Example 2 : A microscopic physical system is the hydrogen atom.
It consists of a proton and an electron.
The parts of a physical system are called the elements of the
system.

• Physical systems include at least two elements.

• There are interactions between the elements of the physical
system.
• The delimitation of a physical system in the universe is arbitrary.
In general, the system includes the elements between which
interactions can not be neglected.
The forces that can act on the bodies that form a physical system are
of two types:
— internal forces
— external forces.
Internal forces act on any body of the physical system and are
generated by the bodies that are part of the physical system.
External forces act on bodies of the physical system and they
exercised by other bodies that are not part of the physical system.
Example 1:
 For a two-body physical system — weightlifter + weight
o the force with which the weightlifter lifts the weight and
weight of the lifter are internal forces.
o the force with which the Earth acts on the weight and on the
weightlifter are external forces.
 In the three-body system — weightlifter + weight + Earth
o The forces with which the Earth acts on the weightlifter and
on the weight become internal forces.
o The forces with which the Sun attracts the Earth and the
objects on the Earth remain external forces.
Physical systems on which act only internal forces (or for which the
resultant of external forces is zero) are called closed or isolated
physical systems.
or
Physical systems that include all bodies that interact with each other
are called closed or isolated physical systems.
Note: There are no isolated physical systems in the absolute
sense of the term, but only "virtually isolated" systems when the
forces of interaction between system bodies and those that are not
part of it can be neglected.
 12) Force (definition, dimensions, unity)
according to the fundamental law of dynamics.
THE FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF DYNAMICS (Lex secunda)

The force acting on a body is equal to the product of the mass and
the acceleration impressed by the force exerted on that body
⃗ ⃗
QUANTITY OF MOVEMENT

The physical quantity that characterizes the movement of a body

from a dynamic point of view, equal to the product between the
mass and the speed of the body, is called momentum.

⃗ ⃗
The force acting on a body is a physical vector quantity equal to the
momentum change rate:
⃗
⃗

• Dimension de la force

• L’unité de mesure s'appelle Newton et est notée N (1N = 1 kg-1

m∙s-2). The Newton is the force which exerts an acceleration of 1
-2
m∙s on a body of 1 kg .
13) The law of reciprocal action.
Newton's third law : THE LAW OF RECIPROCAL ACTIONS
(LEX TERTIA)

⃗ ⃗

The forces with which two bodies interact orient themselves along
the same straight line, are of equal size and have opposite senses.
MECHANICAL WORK, ENERGY, POWER
14) Lucrul mecanic al forței constante și energia.
Tipuri de energii (definiție și exemple)
THE WORK OF THE CONSTANT FORCE

The mechanical work of a constant force is equal to the scalar

product between the force vector and the displacement vector.
⃗ ⃗
• The dimension of mechanical work.

• The mechanical work unit is the work of a force of 1 N, the point

of application of which moves 1 m when the direction of the force is
parallel to the movement direction: this unit is called Joule and it is
noted by J. So 1 J=1 N∙1 m.
ENERGY
The energy is a state parameter of bodies or physical systems that
shows their ability to perform mechanical work.
 The body doing mechanical work loses energy.
 The body on which the mechanical work is performed gains
energy.
 Therefore, the work done by a body is the variation of its energy.
The energy is a physical quantity of state, characterizing the body
or the physical system in the stationary state, while the mechanical
work is a physical quantity of process.
There are two types of mechanical energy, depending on the
stationary state of the body that can be static or dynamic:
— the potential energy or the positional energy;
— the kinetic energy or the movement energy.
The potential or the positional energy is the ability of a body or
physical system to perform mechanical work by virtue of its
position on Earth or the relative position of its components.
Examples: A body raised to height h is capable of mechanical work by
falling back on the Earth surface.
A compressed spring, the parts of which are closer to one another than in
the state in which the spring is free, has the possibility of performing
mechanical work by its relief.
The kinetic or motion energy is the ability of a body or a physical
system to perform mechanical work due to its state of motion.
Examples: The moving air (the wind) can turn the wheel of a
windmill;
The water of a river (without falling) can turn the wheel of a water
mill; a moving car can destroy a wall by hitting against it etc.
15) The potential energy and the equilibrium
conditions.
POTENTIAL POSITION ENERGY
The mechanical work to lift an object at height h is equal to the
energy stored in the body positioned at this height.
.
The potential energy of the position is equal to the mechanical work
of displacement against the gravitational force.
ENERGY CRITERIA FOR EQUILIBRIUM
By analyzing the equilibrium of bodies from their energy, we refer
only to potential energy, because in static equilibrium, their kinetic
energy is always zero.
a) Stable equilibrium

A body is in stable equilibrium if its potential energy has the lowest

value (minimum) of the possible values in all positions immediately
adjacent to the equilibrium position.
b) Unstable equilibrium

A body is in unstable equilibrium if its potential energy has the

highest (maximum) value between the possible values in all
positions immediately adjacent to the equilibrium position.
c) Indifferent equilibrium

A body is in indifferent equilibrium if its potential energy remains

constant when the body is moved to all positions immediately
adjacent to its equilibrium position.
16) Kinetic energy and its variation.
CINETIC ENERGY
The energy of a body in translational motion is equal to half the
mass multiplied by the square of its velocity.

Theorem of kinetic energy variation

The variation of the kinetic energy of a body is equal to the
mechanical work of the force of acceleration (resulting force) which
has acted on this object producing this variation.
17) Mechanical energy and its conservation.
TOTAL MECHANICAL ENERGY (translational movement)

The total mechanical energy of a body (in translation movement) is

equal to the sum of the potential energy and the kinetic energy of
the body.
LAW OF MECHANICAL ENERGY CONSERVATION
In mechanical processes without friction, in an isolated physical
system, the kinetic and potential energies can mutually transform
one into another, but their sum remains constant.
Energy can not be created or destroyed; it can change from one form
of energy to another.
The sum of the mechanical, caloric, chemical, electrical and other
forms of energy remains constant in an isolated physical system.

The total amount of energy and mass in the universe remains

constant (A. Einstein).
18) Mechanical power (definition, dimensions,
units).
POWER
Power is the speed of production of mechanical work. Power is the
mechanical work done in the unit of time.

Instant power

The instantaneous power of an agent working at constant force is

equal to the product of the force and the instantaneous velocity of its
point of application.
Power dimension

The unit of measure of the power (in SI) is the unit of work divided
by the unit of time, that is to say J / s. This unit is called watt and it
is denoted by the symbol W.
1 W=1 J/1 s
The Watt is the power of an agent that produces a work equal to 1
Joule every second.