Course syllabus for Mechanics

Course syllabus adopted 2021-02-17 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameMekanik
  • CodeSEE080
  • Credits5 Credits
  • OwnerTKGBS
  • Education cycleFirst-cycle
  • Main field of studyGlobal systems, Engineering Physics
  • DepartmentSPACE, EARTH AND ENVIRONMENT
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language

    Swedish

  • Application code

    74113

  • Maximum participants

    65

  • Open for exchange students

    No

Credit distribution

Module
Sp1
Sp2
Sp3
Sp4
Summer
Not Sp
Examination dates
0120 Examination 5 c
Grading: TH		 5 c
  • 14 Jan 2022 pm J
  • 13 Apr 2022 am J
  • 18 Aug 2022 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.

Aim

Mechanics is a fundamental part of Physics. In this course we will introduce key concepts of classical (Newtonian) mechanics along with examples of applications. The goal is that students learn to develop a physical intuition and simple mathematical models of physical and technical systems.

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

• appreciate the power and the limitations of classical mechanics to model a real physical system;
• decompose forces/vectors in different systems of coordinates and perform mathematical operations on vectors;
• write the equations for a system in equilibrium;
• calculate the center of mass of a simple system;
• know Newton's laws and derived laws and be able to apply them.
• know Kepler's law of planetary motion and be able to apply them.

Content

Introduction 

1. Geometry of forces
1. Forces as vectors, basic operations on vectors
2. Forces in two dimensions

2. Equilibrium 
1. Equilibrium condition
2. Two-dimensional equilibrium

3. Center of mass, center of gravity

4. Applications
1. Friction
2. Shear and bending forces, beams

5. Kinematics of a point-mass
1. Linear motion
2. Circular motion

6. Kinetics of a point-mass
1. Fundamental laws and concepts
2. Applications
3. Derived laws
4. Oscillatory motion
5. Kepler's laws

Organisation

Lecture and exercise sessions; homework. 

Literature

Book (in Swedish) and digital material (Matlab): Mekanik, statik och dynamik. Författare: P.Å. Jansson, R. Grahn, M. Enelund. Studentlitteratur. Artikelnummer: 6273-04. ISBN: 9789144116594. Upplaga: 4. Revisionsår: 2018. Utgivningsår:1997. Sidantal: 600.

Examination including compulsory elements

Written exam (60% of the final grade) and two compulsory homeworks (2 x 20% of final grade). 

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 about disability study support.