14-09-2017, 11:16 AM
Applied mechanics (also engineering mechanics) is a branch of the physical sciences and the practical application of mechanics. Applied mechanics describes the response of bodies (solids and fluids) or body systems to external forces. Some examples of mechanical systems include the flow of a liquid under pressure, the fracture of a solid from an applied force, or the vibration of an ear in response to sound. A practitioner of the discipline is known as a mechanic.
Applied mechanics describes the behavior of a body, either in an initial state of rest or movement, subjected to the action of forces. Applied mechanics bridges the gap between physical theory and its application to technology. It is used in many fields of engineering, especially mechanical engineering and civil engineering. In this context, it is commonly referred to as engineering mechanics. Much of modern engineering mechanics is based on the laws of motion of Isaac Newton, while the modern practice of its application dates back to Stephen Timoshenko, who is said to be the father of modern engineering mechanics.
Within the theoretical sciences, applied mechanics is useful for formulating new ideas and theories, discovering and interpreting phenomena and developing experimental and computational tools. In the application of the natural sciences, it was said that mechanics was complemented by thermodynamics, the study of heat and more generally energy, and electromechanics, the study of electricity and magnetism.
