UNITS AND DIMENSIONS

Units –
All physical quantities are measured w.r.t. standard magnitude of the same physical quantity and
these standards are called UNITS. eg. second, meter, kilogram, etc. So the four basic properties of
units are:—
1. They must be well defined.
2. 2. They should be easily available and reproducible.
3. 3. They should be invariable e.g. step as a unit of length is not invariable.
4. 4. They should be accepted to all.

e.g. if some body has to study 4 hrs, the numeric part 4 says that it is 4 times of the unit of time. The
second part says that the unit chosen for time is hour.
 Dimensions

 Dimensions of a physical quantity are the powers to which the fundamental

quantities must be raised to represent the given physical quantity. In mechanics all
physical quantities can be expressed in terms of mass (M), length (L) and time (T).
 Example : Force = mass x acceleration = Or,
 So, the dimensions of force are 1 in mass, 1 in length and – 2 in time
Dimensionless quantity
In the equation

then the quantity is called dimensionless.

Examples : Strain, specific gravity, angle. They are ratio of two similar quantities.
A dimensionless quantity has same numeric value in all system of units
 Uses of Dimension
 Dimensional consistency of of any equation with physical sense must be identical. Otherwise, an
equality in one system would be broken upon conversion to another system.
 This fact is used to obtain derived units from fundamental units.
Example
 In the LMT class, the dimension of mass is M, the dimension of acceleration is LT−2, the
Dimension of force can be obtained (derived) from Newton’s second law:
f = ma
[f] = [m] [a] = MLT−2
 In other words, in the LMT class, the dimension of force is LMT−2.
We can determine the unknown exponent “?” in the following equation by requiring the same units
on both sides:
E = mc?
ML2T−2 = M(LT−1)?
?=2
 This is one technique of Dimensional Analysis, which can allow us to identify the controlling physical
quantities in unfamiliar or complicated quantities.
SCALARS & VECTORS
What is Scalar?
What is Vector?
Types
of Vectors on the basis of orientation
 Introduction: Concept and Definition of Engineering Mechanics, Types of Mechanics,
Application of engineering mechanics in practical fields. Definition of Applied Mechanics.
Definition, basic quantities and derived quantities of basic units and derived units. Different
systems of units (FPS, CGS, MKS and SI) and their conversion from one system to another
system. Concept of rigid body, scalar and vector quantities.

 Laws of Forces: Definition, measurement, representation, types of forces, effects and

characteristics of a force. Different force systems (coplanar and non-coplanar), principle of
transmissibility of forces, law of super-position. Composition and resolution of coplanar
concurrent forces, resultant force, laws of forces-Triangle law of forces, Polygon law of forces,
Parallelogram law of forces. Free body diagrams, concept of Lami’s Theorem.
 Friction: Definition and concept of friction, types of friction, force of friction. Laws of static
friction, coefficient of friction, angle of friction, angle of repose, cone of friction. Equilibrium of a
body lying on a horizontal plane and rough inclined plane. Calculation of least force required to
maintain equilibrium of a body on a rough inclined plane subjected to a force:

 a) Acting along the inclined plane horizontally b) At some angle with the inclined plane.

 Moment: Concept of moment, Varignon’s theorem. Principle of moments - application of

moments to simple mechanisms, parallel forces-like and unlike parallel forces, calculation of
their resultant, concept of couple, properties and effect, general cases of coplanar force system,
general conditions of equilibrium of bodies under coplanar forces.
 Center of Gravity: Concept of gravity, gravitational force, centroid and centre of gravity.
Centroid for regular lamina and centre of gravity for regular solids. Position of centre of gravity
of compound bodies and centroid of composite area. CG of bodies with portions removed.

 Moment of Inertia: Concept of moment of inertia and second moment of area and radius of
gyration, theorems of parallel and perpendicular axis, second moment of area of common
geometrical sections: rectangle, triangle, circle. Second moment of area for L, T and I sections,
section modulus.
 Science ?
 Science may be defined as the growth of ideas through observation and
experimentation

Applied Science?

The branch of science, which coordinates the research work, for practical
utility and services of the mankind, is known as Applied Science.
 Engineering?

 Engineering is the application of mathematics, empirical evidence and

scientific, economic, social, and practical knowledge in order to invent,
innovate, design, build, maintain, research, and improve structures,
machines, tools, systems, components, materials, processes and
organizations.
 Mechanics?

 The branch of applied physics dealing with motion and forces producing
motion.

 OR

 Mechanics is the science which describes and predicts the conditions of

rest or motion of bodies under the action of forces
 Mechanics is an area of science concerned with the behavior of physical
 bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the subsequent
 effects of the bodies on their environment.
 Applied mechanics ?
 Applied mechanics is a branch of the physical sciences and the practical
 application of mechanics. Applied mechanics describes the response of
 bodies (solids and fluids) or systems of bodies to external forces.
 Statics
 It is that branch of Engineering Mechanics, which deals with the forces
and their effects, while acting upon the bodies at rest.

DYNAMICS
It is that branch of Engineering Mechanics, which deals with the forces
and their effects, while acting upon the bodies in motion. The subject of
Dynamics may be further sub-divided into the following two branches :
1. Kinetics, and 2. Kinematics.
 KINETICS
 It is the branch of Dynamics, which deals with the
bodies in motion due to the application of forces.

 KINEMATICS

 It is that branch of Dynamics, which deals with the

bodies in motion, without any reference to the forces
which are responsible for the motion.
 Basic Terms

 Essential basic terms to be understood

 Rigid body: the relative movement between its parts are negligible
 Dynamics: dealing with a rigid-body in motion
 Length: applied to the linear dimension of a strait line or curved line
 Area: the two dimensional size of shape or surface
 Volume: the three dimensional size of the space occupied by substance
 Force: the action of one body on another whether it’s a push or a pull force
 Mass: the amount of matter in a body
 Weight: the force with which a body is attracted toward the centre of the
Earth
 Particle: a body of negligible dimension