What does statics deal with?
Statics is the first course in engineering
mechanics.
It deals with the response of bodies under
the action of forces but with a minor tweak.
Not just under the action of forces, but under
the action of BALANCED forces.
Balanced forces mean forces, when added are
canceled out.
This condition is known as equilibrium.
So Statics deal with the study of response
of bodies under the action of balanced forces,
or bodies in equilibrium.
Please remember equilibrium does not mean
the absence of forces.
It means forces are canceled out or balanced.
Also keep in mind statics does not mean NO
motion.
This may seem confusing but it is easy to
understand.
Most problems that we are going to deal with
in this class are bodies that are stationery.
This means they are not designed to move.
A table, or a chair, or a building, or a bridge
are all supposed to be NOT moving and these
structures are in static equilibrium.
However, a body can also be in equilibrium
when in constant motion meaning constant velocity.
In other words, you can be in a plane flying
at 500 miles per hour at an altitude of 30,000
feet without any turbulence.
We can sit and relax in that plane, watch
a movie, or sleep.
We don’t even feel the movement because
our body does not sense speed.
We can, at that time, perform static analysis
of the chair we are sitting, or other objects
in the plane.
In fact, a glass of water in the plane is
going be steady, and not falling during the
motion of the plane.
The glass with water is in static equilibrium.
However, this won’t be true if the plane
is taking off, or landing, or experiences
any turbulence.
In such situations, the plane is changing
its speed and/or direction.
The plane is accelerating changing its speed,
or direction.
So static analysis is possible when the body
is in motion but it should be constant.
Or in other words non-accelerating.
In summary, in this course we are going to
deal with response of bodies under the condition
of equilibrium.
