Module Leaders

Professor Thrish Nanayakkara
t.nanayakkara@imperial.ac.uk
+44 (0)20 7594 0965

In Mechanics, students learn how to link force and displacement using laws of physics. They use this knowledge to model several real-world problems, including predicting failure loads in stationary structures and predicting the motion of objects. They put their knowledge in practice in an outdoor unique activity, the catapult challenge.               

 

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, students will be better able to:

  •   Represent mechanical systems with free-body diagrams and mathematical notations
  •   Analyse basic static structures
  •   Analyse basic dynamic systems
  •   Predict failure loads in a variety of engineering structures              

 

Description of Content

Dimension:
  Scales
  Units
  Dimensional analysis
Quantity:
  Scalers
  Vectors
  Position vector
Uncertainty:
  Precision, accuracy and resolution
  Uncertainty in a measurement
Motion:
  Position, velocity and acceleration vectors
  Velocity and acceleration in rectilinear motions
  Veclocity and acceleration in curvilinear motions
  Velocity and acceleration in circular motions
Force:
  Frictional foce
  Gravitational force
  Centre of mass
  Free-body diagrams
Newton's laws of motion:
  Three laws of motion
  Second law for the centre of mass
  Second law for projectile motion
  Second law for circular motion
Energy methods:
  Work and power
  Gravitational and elastic potential energies
  Kinetic energy
  Conservation of energy
Momentum methods:
  Linear momentum of bodies
  Linear impulse
 

 

Module Highlight

Catapult Competition

Catapult Competition

Published on 18 November 2016

First year Design Engineering students compete in the Mechanics 1 final to out-calculate each other and shoot the most accurate projectiles from a catapult at a target. They also compete for the best medieval-themed costume.