Statics For Dummies

The fast and easy way to ace your statics course

Does the study of statics stress you out? Does just the thought of mechanics make you rigid? Thanks to this book, you can find balance in the study of this often-intimidating subject and ace even the most challenging university-level courses.

Statics For Dummies gives you easy-to-follow, plain-English explanations for everything you need to grasp the study of statics. You'll get a thorough introduction to this foundational branch of engineering and easy-to-follow coverage of solving problems involving forces on bodies at rest; vector algebra; force systems; equivalent force systems; distributed forces; internal forces; principles of equilibrium; applications to trusses, frames, and beams; and friction.
* Offers a comprehensible introduction to statics
* Covers all the major topics you'll encounter in university-level courses
* Plain-English guidance help you grasp even the most confusing concepts

If you're currently enrolled in a statics course and looking for a friendlier way to get a handle on the subject, Statics For Dummies has you covered.

Introduction. Part I: Setting the Stage for Statics. Chapter 1: Using Statics to Describe the World around You. Chapter 2: A Quick Mathematics Refresher. Chapter 3: Working with Unit Systems and Constants. Part II: Your Statics Foundation: Vector Basics. Chapter 4: Viewing the World through Vectors. Chapter 5: Using Vectors to Better Define Direction. Chapter 6: Vector Mathematics and Identities. Chapter 7: Turning Multiple Vectors into a Single Vector Resultant. Chapter 8: Breaking Down a Vector into Components. Part III: Forces and Moments as Vectors. Chapter 9: Applying Concentrated Forces and External Point Loads. Chapter 10: Spreading It Out: Understanding Distributed Loads. Chapter 11: Finding the Centers of Objects and Regions. Chapter 12: Special Occasions in the Life of a Force Vector: Moments and Couples. Part IV: A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words (Or At Least a Few Equations): Free-Body Diagrams. Chapter 13: Anatomy of a Free-Body Diagram. Chapter 14: The F.B.D.: Knowing What to Draw and How to Draw It. Chapter 15: Simplifying a Free-Body Diagram. Part V: A Question of Balance: Equilibrium. Chapter 16: Mr. Newton Has Entered the Building: The Basics of Equilibrium. Chapter 17: Taking a Closer Look at Two-Dimensional Equilibrium: Scalar Methods. Chapter 18: Getting Better Acquainted with Three-Dimensional Equilibrium: Vector Methods. Part VI: Statics in Action. Chapter 19: Working with Trusses. Chapter 20: Analyzing Beams and Bending Members. Chapter 21: Working with Frames and Machines. Chapter 22: A Different Kind of Axial System: Cable Systems. Chapter 23: Those Darn Dam Problems: Submerged Surfaces. Chapter 24: Incorporating Friction into Your Applications. Part VII: The Part of Tens. Chapter 25: Ten Steps to Solving Any Statics Problem. Chapter 26: Ten Tips for Surviving a Statics Exam. Index.