INTRODUCTION

TO

MECHANICS OF SOLIDS

Introduction 1
SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES:
Scalar Quantities A scalar quantity is defined as a quantity that has
magnitude only.
e.g. time, speed, temperature, volume, density, mass, energy etc. (the
units tell nothing about direction)

Vector Quantities A vector quantity is defined as a quantity that has

both magnitude and direction.
e.g. displacement, velocity, acceleration, lift, drag, thrust, etc.
A vector is represented by a directed line.
e.g. O A, Vector (OA)
The length OA represents magnitude of the vector OA and direction
of vector is from O (i.e. Starting point) to A (i.e. End point)

Introduction 2
Composition of vectors
The operation of adding vectors graphically consists of drawing
one vector with appropriate length and direction, and from the
head of this vector, another vector is drawn with appropriate
length and direction. The straight line drawn from the origin of
the first vector to the head of the last vector represents the sum
of the vectors and is called the resultant.

bc Here, ac = ab + bc
ac Vector ac is composed of vectors

ab ab and bc or ac is the resultant

of ab and bc
Introduction 3
Resolution of vectors
Resolution of vectors is exactly the opposite process of Composition.
It is the process of finding a number of component vectors
equivalent to the given single vector.
To find the resultant of multiple forces component of each force in
two mutually perpendicular directions (x and y) are calculated the
components in each direction are then added to get components of
the resultant vector in x- and y-direction. The resultant is obtained
from these mutually perpendicular components.
Let P1, P2, P3,and P4 are the forces of a system. Components of these
forces in x- and y- direction are Px and Py
RX = P1x + P2x + P3x + P4x ; RY = P1y + P2y + P3y + P4y
Resultant R = (RX2 +RY2)1/2
Its inclination with x-axis a = tan -1
(RY /RX)
Introduction 4
Law of Parallelogram of forces :

If two forces acting simultaneously on a particle are represented by

two adjacent sides of a parallelogram the diagonal passing through
their point of interaction gives magnitude and direction of their
resultant force.

Mathematically the resultant force,

R = (F12 + F22 + 2 F1F2 cos )1/2 F2 R

tan α = F2 sin θ α
F1 + F2 cos θ F1

Where F1 and F2 are the forces whose resultant is to be calculated

θ= angle between the forces F1 and F2
α= angle of the resultant force with any one force say F1

Introduction 5
Law of Triangle of forces :
If two forces acting simultaneously on a
particle are represented by two sides of a F2
F1
triangle taken in order, third side of the
triangle taken in opposite order represents
R
their resultant in magnitude and direction.

Law of polygon of forces :

If number of forces acting simultaneously
F2
on a particle are represented in order
F3
magnitude and direction by sides of a F1
polygon closing side of the polygon taken F4
in opposite order gives the magnitude and R
F5
direction of their resultant force.

Introduction 6
The measurement of physical quantities is one of the most
important operation in engineering. Every quantity is measured
in terms of some arbitrary but internationally accepted units
called fundamental units.
The three fundamental quantities are : Length, Mass and Time

The four system of units commonly used and universally recognized

are as follows :
F.P.S. units : In this system the fundamental units of length mass
and time are foot, pound and second
C.G.S. units : In this system the fundamental units of length mass
and time are centimeter, gram and second
M.K.S. units : In this system the fundamental units of length mass
and time are meter, kilogram and second
S.I. units : we will discuss this system if units in detail.

Introduction 7
4.SI units
In 1960 the International System of Units was proposed as a
replacement for the Metric System. The seven base units for the SI
system are given below.

SI Basic Units

Physical Quantity Name of Unit Symbol

Length meter m
Mass kilogram kg
Time second s
Temperature kelvin K
Electric current ampere D
Amount of substance mole mol
Luminous intensity candela cd
Introduction 8
Prefix - Symbol Meaning
Femto - f 1/1,000,000,000,000,000 (10-15)
Pico - p 1/1,000,000,000,000 (10-12)
Nano - n 1/1,000,000,000 (10-9)
Micro - µ 1/1,000,000 (10-6)
Milli - m 1/1,000 (10-3)
Centi - c 1/100 (10-2)
Deci - d l/10(10-1)
Deca – da 10 (101)
Hecto – h 100 (102)
Kilo - k 1,000 (103)
Mega - M 1,000,000 (106)
Giga - G 1,000,000,000 (109)
Tera - T 1,000,000,000,000 (1012)
Introduction 9
Space :
Space is a region in all direction and contains everything within.
Time :
It is the measure of duration between successive events.
Particle :
It is an idealized body which may have negligible mass and
whose size and shape can be ignored without introducing any
appreciable error in description and prediction of its state of rest
or motion.
Rigid body :
A body is considered rigid if the relative distance between
particles of the body remains unchanged before and after
application of force.
Force :
It is defined as an agent that produces or tend to produce,
destroys or tend to destroy motion.
Introduction 10
 Assignment
1) Define : Space, Time, Force, Particle, Rigid body
2) Write the basic SI quantities & give their units with symbol.
3) List the units and symbols of any 25 engineering quantities.
e.g. Force (F) Newton (N) = kg·m / s2
4) Reduce the following SI units to the units indicated:
a. 50 mm to fm b. 30 kg to gm
c. 5 X103 N to GN d. 19 X 10–10 m to nm
e. 500 N to kN f. 2000 N/mm2 to Mpa g. 1 dm2 to m2
5) Find magnitude and direction of forces acting at a point
20 N actig 300 towards North East, 25 N towards North, 30 N
towards North West and 35 N at 400 towards South West.
(Ans:45/6 N at 132.30)
6) Two forces of 100 N and 150 N are simultaneously acting on a
point, calculateee their resultant force if angle between the forces
Introduction 11
is 450. (Ans:232 N)
Introduction 12
Introduction 13