ME202: MECHANICS II – DYNAMICS

Dynamics is a sub-branch of the general field of study known as Mechanics.  It is very closely related to—and often combined with—the study of Statics, which you encountered in ME102: Mechanics I.

In both Statics and Dynamics, we use Newton’s 2nd Law: F = ma.  In Statics, the sum of the applied forces is always zero, thus making the acceleration zero.  This was very important to the structures studied in Statics.  Catastrophe generally results when structures (like bridges and buildings) accelerate.  Very likely you are quite pleased—even if you do not realize it every time—when you cross a bridge that does not accelerate while you are on it, and we have Newton’s First Law to thank for it.  Newton’s First Law states that objects will continue to do what they are doing unless unbalanced forces make them do otherwise.  This law includes the law equilibrium condition that the moments will also sum to zero, and that there will thus be no rotational acceleration.  In Dynamics, the sum of the forces will not necessarily be zero (if it is zero, then the sum of the moments is not).  We will thus study accelerated motion.

As with PHYS101: Introduction to Mechanics, we will begin this course by studying the accelerated motion of particles (also known as the Kinematics of Particles).  We will only look at what an object is doing (the position, velocity, acceleration)—not why it might be doing that.

In Unit 2, we will take a look at the Kinetics of Particles, or the study of the why of Kinematics.  We will want to know how to change the velocity of a particle in order to learn what causes accelerations.

We will then take a step towards the more realistic by considering the size, shape, and orientation of objects as they accelerate.  We term this type of motion “Rigid Body Motion.”  We begin, in Unit 3, with the Kinematics of Rigid Bodies, looking first at the rotational motion of objects.  We will then introduce the possibility that objects can move (and accelerate) translationally and rotationally at the same time.  In Unit 4, we will look at sample problems that will help you understand the concepts learned in Unit 1, Unit 2, and Unit 3. Next, in Unit 5, we study the Kinematics of such motion.

In Unit 6, we will look at many of the principles we learned in the first few units-this time, in three-dimensions.  We will begin with the three-dimensional Kinematics of a Rigid Body and then finish with three-dimensional Kinetics.

We will complete our study of Dynamics with Unit 7, a look at Vibrational Motion, or what happens when objects oscillate about a neutral state. In Unit 4, we will look at sample problems that will help you understand the concepts learned in Unit 5, Unit 6, and Unit 7.

Course Designer: Ron Agarwala and Dr. Kenneth S. Manning, Ph.D. 

Primary Resources: This course is comprised of a range of different free, online materials.  However, the course makes primary use of the following:

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Dr. M. Negahban’s “Engineering Dynamics Notes”
• Utah State University: Dr.  Urroz’s “Dynamics Lectures”
• MIT OpenCourseWare: Dr. Widnall’s “Dynamics Lectures”
• YouTube: The Saylor Foundation: Ken Manning’s “Video Lectures”
• Real-world-physics-problems.com: “Dynamics Notes”

Requirements for Completion: The course requires that you read all assigned lecture materials and watch all related web media.  Pay attention to example problems and how the theory is applied to real-world problems.
 
You need to obtain 70% or above in the final exam to “pass” the course.  You will be notified of your grade immediately upon taking and submitting the final exam.  If you do not pass the exam, you may take it again.
 
Time Commitment: This course should take you a total of 95 1/2 hours to complete.  The course also contains unit and subunit time advisories.  Please plan your time effectively.