Course syllabus for Mechanics

Course syllabus adopted 2021-02-26 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameMekanik
  • CodeTME010
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerTKDES
  • Education cycleFirst-cycle
  • Main field of studyAutomation and Mechatronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Design Engineering
  • DepartmentMECHANICS AND MARITIME SCIENCES
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language Swedish
  • Application code 56117
  • Open for exchange studentsNo
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0105 Project 1.5 c
Grading: UG
0 c1.5 c0 c0 c0 c0 c
0205 Examination 6 c
Grading: TH
0 c6 c0 c0 c0 c0 c
  • 16 Jan 2025 am J
  • 16 Apr 2025 am J
  • 27 Aug 2025 pm J

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for bachelor's level (first cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

The same as for the programme that owns the course.
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

The student should have the necessary background in calculus and linear algebra corresponding to the fundamental courses within the programme, in particular integrals, ordinary differential equations and vector algebra.

Aim

The aim of the course is to give a basic understanding of the fundamental concepts and laws of classical mechanics and how to apply them to simple problems in statics and dynamics. The course should also give the ability to communicate with engineers from other disciplines.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

- explain the meaning of the concepts of physical quantity, metrics, unity and unit systems,
- perform a dimensional analysis and judge whether the answers are reasonable,
- explain the concepts of force and moment of force, and be able to apply vector notations of force and moment of force,
- apply force reduction,
- explain the meaning of the concepts of force balance and equilibrium conditions,
- draw free-body diagrams for a material system in equilibrium, and to formulate and solve the governing equations of equilibrium ,
- explain the meaning of the concepts of center of mass and center of gravity, and determine the center of mass position for geometrically simple bodies,
- explain the meaning of the concepts of static friction, sliding friction and friction conditions and solve static problems with friction,
- explain the meaning of the concepts of static determination and static indeterminacy and be able to decide which of the concepts that apply to a given design,
- apply the relationships between position, velocity and acceleration at straight and plane curvilinear motion,
- apply Newton's second law of for particles in straight and plane curvilinear motion,
- explain the meaning of the concepts of work, kinetic energy, potential energy and conservative force and the links between them, in order to apply energy considerations to solve dynamic problems for particles,
- solve simple problems when the momentum or angular momentum of a particle or a system of particles is preserved,
- derive equations and solve vibrational problems for one degree of freedom structures (undamped, damped)
- calculate the mass moments of inertia for simple geometries,
- apply the Newton's  laws in order to solve simple problems for plane rigid body rotation with respect to a fixed axis,
- use energy methods to treat rigid body rotation about a fixed axis.

Content

Statics:
Basic concepts. System of forces and force reduction. Equilibrium; equilibrium conditions, free-body diagrams, degrees of freedom, constraint forces. Center of mass, center of gravity. Friction.


Particle dynamics:
Kinematics. Newton's laws. Work, energy, momentum and angular momentum, conservation laws. Vibrations.

Rigid Body Dynamics:
Mass moment of inertia. Rotation about a fixed axis. System of rigid bodies: the preservation of energy, momentum and angular momentum.

Organisation

The course consists of the following learning activities: Lectures, tutorials, sessions, quizzes and project work.

The course relates to UN's sustainable development goals within "9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure", "11 Sustainable cities and communities", "12 Responsible production and consumption".

Literature

Grahn/Jansson: Mekanik, Studentlitteratur, latest edition.

Examination including compulsory elements

Compulsory examination for the course:

 - Written exam
 - Approved report on project task

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.