436-121 Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Students may only gain credit for one of 436-121 or 436-101 Engineering Mechanics and Materials.

Upon completion, students should be able to calculate forces and moments in mechanisms and structures under load, determine torque and power transmission capacities of drive trains, solve problems involving basic kinematics and kinetics of simple spring-mass systems and acquire a basic understanding of the structure and mechanical properties of metals.

Topics include application of vector algebra to engineering systems, forces, moments, couples and resultants; properties of sections, analysis of machine components, friction, wedges and screws, power transmission systems; velocity and acceleration vectors, dynamics of simple systems and the concepts of momentum, impulse and conservation energy; atomic structure and bonding, structure of crystals, elastic deformation, plastic deformation and strengthening, fast fracture, fatigue, and creep.

One 3-hour end of semester examination (85%) and two assignments of up to 1500 words each (15%) due throughout the semester.