Statics of physics

 

Terms, units, and abbreviations

The following units are used:

length in meters (m) mass in kilograms (kg)

weight in newtons (N)

density in kilograms per cubic meter (kg m-3)

The equivalent customary units and conversion factors are as follows:

1 meter = 1.09 yards or 3.28 feet • kilogram = 2.20 pounds 1 newton = 7.23 poundals 1,000 kilograms per cubic meter = 62.43 pounds per cubic foot Time is measured in seconds (s) in both systems of units.

Statics is the branch of physics that deals with the analysis of bodies that are held stationary under the influence of a system of forces. Using statics it is possible to predict what will occur when the forces acting on an object are changed, the size of the forces needed to keep an object stationary, and many other phenomena of interest to physicists and engineers.

Forces

The study of statics depends crucially on an understanding of the concept of force, which can be defined as an agent that is capable of altering the state of rest or motion of an object. A force acting on an otherwise free object will accelerate it.

Mass and weight

Mass is defined as the resistance of an object to any change of its state of motion or rest by the action of a force. Mass is, therefore, a measure of the inertia of an object. The greater an object’s mass, the smaller is the acceleration a given force produces. The mass of an object is proportional to the amount of matter making up the object.

Density and specific gravity

One of the major areas of study in statics is the behavior of objects in fluids (that is, in liquids and gases). Much of this work revolves around the concept of density, which is the mass of an object per unit volume. If the mass is measured in kilograms and the unit of volume is the cubic meter, then density is measured in kilograms per cubic meter (kg m~3).

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