Mechanics is simply study of physical science
that deals with rest and motion of bodies.
The force can either be exerted on the body
or exerted by the body.
Such as a crane lifting weight or a coin causing
the balance to move.
Mechanics can be divided into three categories
based on the type of body involved with such
forces.
Rigid body mechanics, deformable body mechanics
and fluid mechanics.
What are rigid bodies?
When you apply a certain force at any point
on a rigid body, it causes the body to move
(assuming the body is not constrained in any
way).
Then each point in the body will move about
the exact same distance in the exact same direction
As you can see here are three points shown.
The force is being applied on these three points
They are going to travel same distances in the same
direction.
Even if the body is rotating, the relative
distance and the direction will remain the
same.
In case of pushing a wheel chair, the distance
travelled by the back of the wheel chair and
the seat of the chair will be same in both
magnitude and direction.
For deformable bodies, the force creates a
gradient in the motion of points within the
body as we move away from the point of force
as seen in the figure.
The displacement of the point where the force
was being applied will be maximum and this
decreases away from the point of the force.
Same can be seen in case of bending a rod.
Thirdly, a fluid body.
When a force is being applied and then removed.
The body will continue to deform until foreign
parameters such as viscosity or friction resists
it to do so.
When someone creates a disturbance in open
water, the water continues to deform until
the viscosity of the water and the friction
exerted by air over it calms it down.
Summing up, mechanics deals with forces causing
an occurrence (as an action) or as an effect
of an occurrence (or reaction) of all three
types of bodies.
Rigid Body Mechanics, can further be sub categorized
in terms of Statics and Dynamics.
Statics deals with bodies in equilibrium with
respect to motion.
Which mean either they are at rest when velocity
is zero or moving with a constant velocity
when acceleration is zero.
Dynamics on the other hand deals with bodies
with accelerated motion.
where velocity changes over time.
This course MX01 is limited to statics part
of the rigid body mechanics.
Dating back from 200 BC when Archimedes Lever
transmitted forces to lift heavier objects
all the way to Newton’s Laws of Motion.
Mechanics has been key element in historical
development of human beings.
Whereas, mathematical development by Euler,
D’Alembert and Lagrange helped mankind reach
for 
the stars.
