Preliminary Engineering Studies Notes

Resource Description

Preliminary Engineering Studies Notes

Topic 1: Engineering Fundamentals

Areas of Engineering Practice

Nature and range of the work of engineers

• Engineers have been responsible for the built and technological world we have today

Historical and Societal Influences

Historical developments of engineering

• Wheel- 4th millennium BC
• Bronze- 4th millennium BC
• Iron- 1st millennium BC
• Steam engine- 1698
• Cast iron- 1707
• Steel- 1856
• AC electricity- 1886
• Human flight- 1903
• Helicopter- 1920s
• Pacemaker- 1958

Effect of engineering innovation on people’s lives

• Woken up by alarm, electric toothbrush to brush teeth, toaster for bread and bicycle to get to school- all of these created by ‘engineers’
• Engineers make things happen and we reap the benefits

Engineering Mechanics

Mass and Force

Newtons laws of Motion

1st Law : A body will remain at rest or at constant velocity unless acted upon by an unbalanced external force.

2nd Law: A body acted upon by an external unbalanced force will accelerate in proportion to the magnitude of this force in the direction in which it acts. Newton’s second law is often written in formula form as shown below.