Engineering Mechanics Short Questions and Answers (MAKAUT 3rd Sem)

Chapter 1: Force Systems

1. Define a force system.

A force system is a group of forces acting on a body, which can be classified as
coplanar, non-coplanar, concurrent, parallel, or distributed.
2. State the principle of transmissibility of forces.
The condition of equilibrium or motion remains unchanged if a force is replaced by
another of the same magnitude and direction along the same line of action.
3. What is a resultant force?
A resultant force is a single force that produces the same effect as the combined effect
of all forces acting on a body.
4. Explain the parallelogram law of forces.
If two forces acting on a point are represented by adjacent sides of a parallelogram,
the diagonal represents the resultant force.
5. What is a couple?
A couple is a system of two parallel forces of equal magnitude but opposite direction,
separated by a distance.
6. Define equilibrium of forces.
A body is in equilibrium when the resultant force and the resultant moment acting on
it are zero.
7. State Lami's theorem.
For a body in equilibrium under three forces, the ratio of each force to the sine of the
angle between the other two forces is constant.
8. Differentiate between scalar and vector quantities.
Scalars have only magnitude (e.g., mass, time), while vectors have both magnitude
and direction (e.g., force, velocity).
9. What is the moment of a force?
The moment of a force is the rotational effect of the force about a point or axis,
calculated as M=F×dM = F × d, where dd is the perpendicular distance from the axis.
10. Explain the types of force systems.

• Coplanar concurrent forces: Forces lie in the same plane and meet at a point.
• Coplanar parallel forces: Forces lie in the same plane but are parallel.
• Non-coplanar forces: Forces act in different planes.

Chapter 2: Friction

11. Define friction.

Friction is the resistive force that opposes the relative motion of two surfaces in
contact.
12. What is static friction?
Static friction acts between two surfaces at rest relative to each other.
13. Define kinetic friction.
Kinetic friction acts between surfaces in relative motion.
14. What is the coefficient of friction?
It is the ratio of the frictional force to the normal reaction force (μ=F/N\mu = F/N).
15. State the laws of friction.
o Friction is proportional to the normal reaction.

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 o Friction acts opposite to the direction of motion.
16. What is the angle of friction?
The angle of friction is the angle between the resultant force and the normal reaction.
17. Define angle of repose.
The angle of repose is the maximum angle of an inclined plane at which a body
remains stationary.
18. What is limiting friction?
Limiting friction is the maximum frictional force before the body starts moving.
19. Differentiate between sliding and rolling friction.
Sliding friction occurs when surfaces slide over each other; rolling friction occurs
when one surface rolls over another.
20. What factors affect friction?
o Surface roughness
o Nature of materials
o Normal reaction force

Chapter 3: Basic Structural Analysis

21. Define a truss.

A truss is a structure made of slender members joined at their ends, primarily to
support loads.
22. What is a perfect truss?
A truss with the correct number of members for stability: m=2j−3m = 2j - 3, where
mm is members and jj is joints.
23. Explain the method of joints.
Each joint is analyzed separately to determine the forces in connecting members.
24. What is the method of sections?
A truss is divided into sections to analyze forces in specific members by applying
equilibrium equations.
25. Define a redundant truss.
A truss with more members than required for stability.
26. What is a zero-force member?
A member in a truss that carries no load under specific loading conditions.
27. State the assumptions made in truss analysis.
o Members are pin-connected.
o Loads act only at joints.
o Members are weightless.
28. Differentiate between a plane and a space truss.
A plane truss lies in a single plane, while a space truss extends in three dimensions.
29. What is a shear force?
The internal force that acts perpendicular to the cross-section of a structure.
30. Define bending moment.
The internal moment causing bending in a structure, calculated as the force multiplied
by its distance from a point.

Chapter 4: Centroid and Centre of Gravity

31. Define centroid.

The geometric center of a plane figure.

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 32. What is the center of gravity?
The point at which the entire weight of a body acts.
33. State the difference between centroid and center of gravity.
The centroid is the geometric center, while the center of gravity considers weight
distribution.
34. What is the centroid of a triangle?
It is located at the intersection of medians and is given by
(xc,yc)=(x1+x2+x3)3,(y1+y2+y3)3(x_c, y_c) = \frac{(x_1 + x_2 + x_3)}{3},
\frac{(y_1 + y_2 + y_3)}{3}.
35. How do you find the centroid of a composite shape?
Divide the shape into simpler parts, find the centroid of each part, and use the
formula:
xc=Σ(Ai⋅xi)ΣAi,yc=Σ(Ai⋅yi)ΣAix_c = \frac{\Sigma(A_i \cdot x_i)}{\Sigma A_i},
y_c = \frac{\Sigma(A_i \cdot y_i)}{\Sigma A_i}.

Chapter 5: Virtual Work and Energy Method

36. State the principle of virtual work.

If a system is in equilibrium, the total virtual work done by all forces during any
virtual displacement is zero.
37. Define virtual displacement.
A small hypothetical displacement of a system in equilibrium consistent with its
constraints.
38. What is strain energy?
Strain energy is the energy stored in a body due to deformation when subjected to
external forces.
39. Explain the work-energy principle.
The work done by all external forces on a system is equal to the change in its kinetic
energy.
40. What is the unit of strain energy?
The unit of strain energy is the joule (J).
41. Define complementary energy.
Complementary energy is the additional energy required to reach the maximum strain
energy from a given state.
42. What is a conservative force?
A force is conservative if the work done by it is independent of the path taken,
depending only on initial and final positions.
43. Give an example of a conservative force.
Gravitational force is an example of a conservative force.
44. What is the potential energy of a system?
Potential energy is the stored energy of a system due to its position or configuration.
45. State Castigliano's theorem.
The partial derivative of the total strain energy with respect to a load gives the
displacement at the point of application of the load.

Chapter 6: Review of Particle Dynamics

46. State Newton's first law of motion.

A body remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force.

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 47. State Newton's second law of motion.
The rate of change of momentum of a particle is proportional to the net external force
acting on it (F=maF = ma).
48. State Newton's third law of motion.
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
49. Define inertia.
Inertia is the property of a body to resist changes in its state of motion or rest.
50. What is rectilinear motion?
Motion of a particle along a straight line.
51. Define projectile motion.
Motion of a particle under the influence of gravity, following a curved trajectory.
52. What is uniform circular motion?
Motion of a particle along a circular path with constant speed.
53. Define angular velocity.
The rate of change of angular displacement with respect to time, measured in radians
per second.
54. What is centripetal force?
The inward force required to keep a particle moving in a circular path.
55. State the equation for kinetic energy.
Kinetic energy is given by KE=12mv2KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2, where mm is mass and
vv is velocity.

Chapter 7: Introduction to Kinetics of Rigid Bodies

56. Differentiate between kinematics and kinetics.

Kinematics studies motion without considering forces, while kinetics relates motion
to the forces causing it.
57. What is the moment of inertia?
The moment of inertia measures a body's resistance to angular acceleration about an
axis.
58. State the parallel axis theorem.
The moment of inertia about any axis is the sum of the moment of inertia about a
parallel axis through the center of mass and the product of the mass and the square of
the distance between the axes.
59. What is the radius of gyration?
The radius of gyration is the distance from the axis of rotation at which the entire
mass of a body could be concentrated to give the same moment of inertia.
60. Define angular acceleration.
The rate of change of angular velocity with respect to time.
61. What is rotational kinetic energy?
Rotational kinetic energy is given by KEr=12Iω2KE_r = \frac{1}{2}I\omega^2,
where II is the moment of inertia and ω\omega is angular velocity.
62. What is torque?
Torque is the rotational equivalent of force, calculated as τ=r×F\tau = r \times F,
where rr is the position vector and FF is the force.
63. State the principle of conservation of angular momentum.
The total angular momentum of a system remains constant if no external torque acts
on it.

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 64. What is precession?
Precession is the slow rotation of the axis of a spinning body caused by an external
torque.
65. Define gyroscopic effect.
The gyroscopic effect is the tendency of a spinning body to resist changes to its axis
of rotation.

Chapter 8: Mechanical Vibrations

66. What is natural frequency?

Natural frequency is the frequency at which a system vibrates when disturbed from
equilibrium.
67. Define damping in mechanical vibrations.
Damping is the dissipation of energy in a vibrating system, reducing amplitude over
time.
68. What is simple harmonic motion (SHM)?
SHM is periodic motion in which the restoring force is proportional to the
displacement and acts opposite to it.
69. State the equation of motion for SHM.
x(t)=Acos⁡(ωt+ϕ)x(t) = A\cos(\omega t + \phi), where AA is amplitude, ω\omega is
angular frequency, and ϕ\phi is phase angle.
70. Define resonance.
Resonance occurs when the natural frequency of a system matches the frequency of
an external force, leading to maximum amplitude.
71. What is critical damping?
Critical damping brings a vibrating system to rest in the shortest possible time without
oscillations.
72. What is forced vibration?
Vibration of a system under the action of an external periodic force.
73. Differentiate between free and forced vibrations.
Free vibrations occur without external forces, while forced vibrations occur under
continuous external influence.
74. What is the logarithmic decrement?
The logarithmic decrement measures the rate of decay of vibrations in a damped
system.
75. What are the types of damping?
o Light damping
o Critical damping
o Overdamping
76. What is a damped vibration?
Damped vibration occurs when energy is gradually lost due to resistance forces,
leading to a decrease in amplitude over time.
77. State an example of free vibration.
A pendulum swinging without any external interference is an example of free
vibration.
78. Explain the term "degrees of freedom."
Degrees of freedom represent the number of independent movements a system can
make.

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79. What is the equation of motion for a damped vibration?
mx¨+cx˙+kx=0m\ddot{x} + c\dot{x} + kx = 0, where mm is mass, cc is damping
coefficient, kk is stiffness, and xx is displacement.
80. Differentiate between underdamped and overdamped systems.
o Underdamped: Oscillates before coming to rest.
o Overdamped: Returns to equilibrium without oscillating.
81. What is a mass-spring system?
A mechanical model consisting of a mass attached to a spring, used to study vibration.
82. Define dynamic magnification factor.
The ratio of the maximum displacement in forced vibration to the static displacement
under the same load.
83. What is Coulomb damping?
Energy loss due to dry friction between moving surfaces.
84. What is modal analysis?
The study of natural frequencies and mode shapes of a vibrating system.
85. Explain phase difference in forced vibration.
The lag or lead between the displacement and the applied force.
86. What are coupled oscillators?
Oscillators linked in such a way that energy can transfer between them.
87. Define harmonic excitation.
A periodic force acting on a system, such as a sinusoidal force.
88. What is transient vibration?
Vibration that occurs temporarily before the system reaches steady-state behavior.

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