The fast and easy way to ace your statics courseDoes the study of statics stress you out? Does just the thought of mechanics make you rigid? Thanks to this book, you can find balance in the study of this often-intimidating subject and ace even the most challenging university-level courses.
Statics For Dummies gives you easy-to-follow, plain-English explanations for everything you need to grasp the study of statics. You'll get a thorough introduction to this foundational branch of engineering and easy-to-follow coverage of solving problems involving forces on bodies at rest; vector algebra; force systems; equivalent force systems; distributed forces; internal forces; principles of equilibrium; applications to trusses, frames, and beams; and friction.
Offers a comprehensible introduction to staticsCovers all the major topics you'll encounter in university-level coursesPlain-English guidance help you grasp even the most confusing concepts
If you're currently enrolled in a statics course and looking for a friendlier way to get a handle on the subject,Statics For Dummies has you covered.
Introduction 1
Part I: Setting the Stage for Statics 7
Chapter 1: Using Statics to Describe the World around You 9
Chapter 2: A Quick Mathematics Refresher 17
Chapter 3: Working with Unit Systems and Constants 31
Part II: Your Statics Foundation: Vector Basics 39
Chapter 4: Viewing the World through Vectors 41
Chapter 5: Using Vectors to Better Defi ne Direction 51
Chapter 6: Vector Mathematics and Identities 69
Chapter 7: Turning Multiple Vectors into a Single Vector Resultant 79
Chapter 8: Breaking Down a Vector into Components 95
Part III: Forces and Moments as Vectors 107
Chapter 9: Applying Concentrated Forces and External Point Loads 109
Chapter 10: Spreading It Out: Understanding Distributed Loads 123
Chapter 11: Finding the Centers of Objects and Regions 135
Chapter 12: Special Occasions in the Life of a Force Vector: Moments and Couples 149
Part IV: A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words (Or At Least a Few Equations): Free-Body Diagrams 167
Chapter 13: Anatomy of a Free-Body Diagram 169
Chapter 14: The F.B.D.: Knowing What to Draw and How to Draw It 185
Chapter 15: Simplifying a Free-Body Diagram 199
Part V: A Question of Balance: Equilibrium 207
Chapter 16: Mr. Newton Has Entered the Building: The Basics of Equilibrium 209
Chapter 17: Taking a Closer Look at Two-Dimensional Equilibrium: Scalar Methods 219
Chapter 18: Getting Better Acquainted with Three-Dimensional Equilibrium: Vector Methods 229
Part VI: Statics in Action 241
Chapter 19: Working with Trusses 243
Chapter 20: Analyzing Beams and Bending Members 259
Chapter 21: Working with Frames and Machines 279
Chapter 22: A Different Kind of Axial System: Cable Systems 293
Chapter 23: Those Darn Dam Problems: Submerged Surfaces 309
Chapter 24: Incorporating Friction into Your Applications 321
Part VII: The Part of Tens 339
Chapter 25: Ten Steps to Solving Any Statics Problem 341
Chapter 26: Ten Tips for Surviving a Statics Exam 347
Index 353
