What is Mechanical: Definition and 1000 Discussions

Mechanical engineering is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science to design, analyze, manufacture, and maintain mechanical systems. It is one of the oldest and broadest of the engineering branches.Mechanical engineering combines creativity, knowledge and analytical tools to complete the difficult task of shaping an idea into reality.
The mechanical engineering field requires an understanding of core areas including mechanics, dynamics, thermodynamics, materials science, structural analysis, and electricity. In addition to these core principles, mechanical engineers use tools such as computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and product lifecycle management to design and analyze manufacturing plants, industrial equipment and machinery, heating and cooling systems, transport systems, aircraft, watercraft, robotics, medical devices, weapons, and others. It is the branch of engineering that involves the design, production, and operation of machinery.Mechanical engineering emerged as a field during the Industrial Revolution in Europe in the 18th century; however, its development can be traced back several thousand years around the world. In the 19th century, developments in physics led to the development of mechanical engineering science. The field has continually evolved to incorporate advancements; today mechanical engineers are pursuing developments in such areas as composites, mechatronics, and nanotechnology. It also overlaps with aerospace engineering, metallurgical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, and other engineering disciplines to varying amounts. Mechanical engineers may also work in the field of biomedical engineering, specifically with biomechanics, transport phenomena, biomechatronics, bionanotechnology, and modelling of biological systems.

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  1. I

    Changing medium - Standing Mechanical Waves

    I wanted to ask the following question: If we change the medium of the wave (lighter or heavier) , how it will affect the particles velocity of the standing mechanical wave ? In my exam , there was a function's graph of one of the particles (of the standing wave) described with the...
  2. L

    Mechanical Principles - Rotating Systems

    A load of mass 250kg is required to be lifted by a means of a winding drum and cable. The mass will be initially at rest, accelerated uniformly upwards for 4 seconds and then decelerated uniformly for one second. such that a final height of 10.5 metres is gained. The winding drum has a mass...
  3. SquidgyGuff

    Optics from a Quantum Mechanical stand point

    I've tried looking this up online, but people only ever talk about the basic principles and formulas involved instead of the concepts behind it. My question is this: "What is happening at a quantum level when light is refracted or reflected?" How does the light interact with the atoms of medium...
  4. A

    Engineering How difficult is Mechanical Engineering? Do you do math every day?

    Hi All Please excuse my naiveness in advance, I am a year 12 student and I have a few (may be stupid) questions for current mechanical engineers. How difficult is it? I am currently studying mathematical methods (second highest level of math we can possibly do, and a prerequisite for any...
  5. BrainMan

    A conservation of mechanical energy and momentum problem

    Homework Statement a 6-kg bullet is fired into a 2-kg block initially at rest at the edge of a table of height 1 m. The bullet remains in the block, and after the impact the block lands 2 m from the bottom of the table. Determine the initial speed of the bullet. Homework Equations m1v1i...
  6. T

    Why do mechanical and EM waves in the same way?

    Mechanical waves (sound, water waves) and EM waves both undergo diffraction. But the actual physical processes involved in the two are totally different. EM waves are produced by accelerated charges while mechanical waves are tiny displacements of molecules of the medium in which the wave is...
  7. T

    Civil vs Mechanical vs Electrical Enginnering which should I choose?

    I am a second year civil engineering student. I decided long ago since I was in high school that I would be in engineering. However I only chose civil because I couldn't decide which engineering disipline I should choose. My college only has 4 course in engineering including computer eng. A...
  8. P

    The First Law of Thermodynamics and Mechanical Work

    So I have a doubt that's been bugging me for a very long time, and my teacher's response to it was vague. And I would be very grateful if someone would help me clear the misconceptions I have. Now, first of all, according to the first law of thermodynamics, \DeltaU = Q + W, where U is the...
  9. C

    Noob to mechanical engineering - how do I find the part I need

    I build things. I need mechanical parts from time to time, and I always have trouble finding the parts I need because I don't have a vocabulary from the mechanical engineering world - I hope to acquire the language by living in the forum for a while (and thinks in advance to anyone who can...
  10. A

    Engineering Civil Engineering to Mechanical Engineering

    hello everyone. I'm taking a diploma in civil engineering and think to switch to mechanical engineering for my degree. What I'm worry about is I'm afraid that i can't catch up with the new syllabus because from i heard that mechanical engineering have more calculation than civil engineering. Is...
  11. schmiggy

    Mechanical energy equation for flow b/n 2 points

    Homework Statement a) Write down the steady-state mechanical energy equation for flow from point (1) (located at the free surface of the creek) to point (2) located at the free surface of the tank. For the purposes of this problem you can assume the pressures at both points are atmospheric...
  12. M

    Engineering Mechanical engineer vs. actuary

    hey pf! the title pretty much sums up my question: what are the differences between actuarial work and engineering? if you have experience OUTSIDE of academics, please share your insight, as i'd really appreciate it. my brief background: i have a double major in mathematics and economics...
  13. P

    Exercise about mechanical energy

    Hi everyone , this exercise was given in one of my midterms , but we didn't correct it and I'm wondering where I went wrong on it : Help will be extremely appreciated : Here is the statement : A block of mass m=2 kg is pushed by a spring with a spring constant of k=650 N/m which is...
  14. M

    Advice on Choosing Between Civil and Mechanical Engineering

    Hello, I am a first year Civil Engineering student. I am not sure if I want to continue Civil or switch to Mechanical. I like them equally, both have their pros and cons. My current university offers a 5 year (150 credits) BEng program in Civil and Mechanical , another local university...
  15. BrainMan

    Conservation of mechanical energy problem

    Problem: the masses of the javelin, discus, and shot are .8 kg, 2.0 kg, and 7.2 kg, respectively, and record throws in the track events using these objects are about 89 m, 69 m, and 21 m, respectively. Neglecting air resistance, (a) calculate the minimum initial kinetic energies that would...
  16. C

    Need Mechanical Engineers to Answer Interview Questions for School Project?

    Looking for mechanical engineers to answer some interview questions for my school project. Anyone willing to answer the ten simple questions would help me out tremendously. I've posted links to the document on google and dropbox. http://tinyurl.com/l38mcq6 or http://tinyurl.com/lsuo2z7
  17. Y

    Mechanical energy and momentum conservation

    Mechanical energy is conserved whenever momentum is conserved. T/F? My guess is true: If momentum is conserved, no external forces are applied on the system. Hence mechanical energy can't change! (No change in PE, no change in KE). BUT: My answer booklet says FALSE! Why?
  18. P

    Mechanical FE Exam Review and Sample Question Resources?

    I'm going to take the Mechanical FE Exam, does anyone have any suggestion regarding which review or question book/ resources may be more helpful to study? ( beside the NCEES Reference Handbook) Thank you in advance for sharing your experiences.
  19. T

    Concept question, linear momentum and mechanical energy

    A box containing a pebble is attached to an ideal horizontal spring and is oscillating on a friction-free air table. When the box has reached its maximum distance from the equilibrium point, the pebble is suddenly lifted out vertically without disturbing the box. Will the following...
  20. S

    Mechanical energy of a spring system

    Homework Statement A damped mass-spring system oscillates at 285 Hz. The time constant of the system is 8.8 s. At t = 0 the amplitude of oscillation is 1.3 cm and the energy of the oscillating system is 36 J. Part 1: What is the amplitude of oscillation at t = 8.7 s? Answer in units of...
  21. A

    Resonance in a Mechanical System

    Homework Statement A mass m is attached to one end of a massless spring with a force constant k and an unstretched length l0. The other end of the spring is free to turn about a nail driven into a frictionless, horizontal surface. The mass is made to revolve in a circle with an angular...
  22. S

    Can a Warped Heatsink be Straightened for PCB Mounting?

    Hi, I need advise on a heatsink warpage(see attached), the heatsink is deflected in the middle about 2mm off, i need to mount pcb on it and might cause cracking over time, I was wondering if any experienced engineers have a good approach to straighten it? Thanks Seth
  23. J

    What is the total mechanical energy of a particle falling on an extended string?

    1. Find an expression for the total mechanical energy when the string is extended and find the maximum distance that the particle falls in terms of g Unsure 3. My attempt at solutionHi :tongue: Here is the question I am looking at http://imgur.com/a6T8zH7I take the datum as the fixed point so...
  24. J

    Conservation of mechanical energy question

    Homework Statement A block of mass 2.5 kg is placed against a compressed spring (k = 2900 N/m) at the bottom of an inclined plane (angle = 28 degrees). When the spring is released the block is projected up the incline and the spring expands by 14 cm to its normal length. a.Calculate the...
  25. S

    Mechanical - Deflection and Slope, cantilever beam

    Hi guys, I have been a question to solve this week to do with deflections and slopes at the free end of a cantilever beam. I have calculated the deflection and slope for the point load and UDL, but I'm not sure whether to add them together or not?.. as they're both acting on the beam? A...
  26. L

    Thermo - PV work and mechanical work

    Hello, I`m a bit confused about PV work. Here is the situation I am facing. δw = P dV and dw = F dx δw is an inexact differential, because it's path dependent. I read some articles that equal δw with dw. saying that P dV = F dx For what path is that True? In other words...
  27. E

    Mechanical Engineer from Norway Seeks Help with Problem

    Hi, I'm a mechanical engineer from Norway who has an work related query. Please see the attached picture describing the problem. I'm trying to figure out how heigh mass 1 travels if mass 2 is quick released when being suspended in a spring. I'm also trying to figure out a the maximum...
  28. T

    Deriving Equations of Motion for Two-Step Cone Pulley Vibration

    Hi, I'm currently studying Mechanical Eng & have a class next semester 'Eng Analysis', which involves a large section on vibration. I've been trying to work my way through S.S.Rao, Mech Vibrations, 2nd edition. There's one specific problem; Project 5.51/Chapter 5/page 292. The problem concerns...
  29. jdawg

    How to Think Like a Mechanical Engineer

    Hi! So I was hoping to hear from some mechanical engineers about what sort of things I should be doing to become a good engineer. Are there any books you could recommend to read or maybe some projects to do that would help me to start thinking more like an engineer? I feel like all the people in...
  30. P

    Engineering Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering?

    Hi, I'm currently a Sophomore with a major in Mechanical Engineering. However, I'm really conflicted in deciding what my major should be. I really love anything space related and was thinking about switching my major to Aerospace Engineering. I want to eventually work at places such as NASA or...
  31. M

    Conservation of Mechanical Energy and Kinetic Friction

    Homework Statement Question in entirety: Vladimir Putin has contacted you to redesign the ski jump at the Olympic games. In the ski jump, contestants begin at rest at the starting gate on top of a hill inclined at an angle of 30 with respect to horizontal. They then accelerate down the hill...
  32. N

    Closed Feedback Loop mechanical system examples

    Homework Statement Hello everybody I was hoping some of you could give me some some examples of some closed feedback loop mechanical systems. This is for my controls class where we have to design our own control system. I'm having trouble trying figure out some systems. I know one would...
  33. A

    Momentum and Mechanical Energy.

    Is momentum conserved when it is said that the mechanical energy is? My teacher says no, but I cannot think of any example. Looking at the formulas, it seems as though constant mechanical energy will always conserve momentum...
  34. L

    Engineering Civil Engineering vs Mechanical Engineering

    I'm sure these two have been compared before, but I'm wondering if anyone could grant me insight on what the Mechanical Engineering/Civil Engineering industry is like. I know Mechanical Engineering is much more broad, but how is the work on a day to day basis? What is the work on a day to day...
  35. E

    Applications of Advanced Math to Mechanical Engineering

    Hey Everyone! I was wandering what applications (if any) advanced math topics like topology, functional analysis, abstract algebra, etc. have in Mechanical Engineering. Thanks a lot!
  36. L

    Mechanical advantage machines

    I've been at this problem for a good hour now and I just can't figure it out :bugeye: Please help me think through this! It is a very difficult problem in my opinion. Or maybe I'm just missing a fundamental point...Thanks in advance...
  37. Pattonias

    Has anyone started a business out of college as a mechanical engineer?

    I am starting a engineering business with some friends while I am still in college. I graduated this past December and I am now working on my Masters. I was curious if anyone else has had a similar experience and what technological field you were in. We are designing an automated welding machine...
  38. Conservation

    Tension - how is mechanical tension even defined?

    Tension -- how is mechanical tension even defined? Hello, I'm currently a student in AP Physics having a little trouble with the concept of tension, especially that of a pulley system or an Atwood machine. First, how is tension even defined? Is it the reaction force to the applied force on...
  39. M

    Mechanical vibration spring/mass help

    Hey guys, I'm working on solving a problem of figuring out what an impact velocity is going to be roughly. The numbers seem very small to me though so I was wondering if you guys could check out my work. This isn't a homework problem, but rather a real problem. I"m trying to build a test...
  40. H

    A quantum mechanical rigid roator

    Homework Statement Consider the Hamiltonian for a rigid rotator, constrained to rotate in xy plane and with moment of inertia I and electric dipole moment\mu in the plane, as H_0=\frac{L_z^2}{2I}. Then suppose that a constant and weak external electric field,E, in the direction of x is applied...
  41. S

    Mechanical analogue of permittivity

    I refer to the velocity of propagation of an EM wave in a medium. I have been wondering about what plays the role, in this context, of inertia and elasticity. Here the formula has nothing in the numerator and the denominator is the product of the electric permittivity by the magnetic...
  42. M

    Engineering How can a newly graduated mechanical engineer find job opportunities?

    Hey PF! I am a masters student in mechanical engineering, and I am doing really well. However, once I finish my thesis and graduate, what is the typical way to find a job. Are you head hunted or will I send out resumes? Should I talk with my advisers? My uncle works with Boeing and has...
  43. AbhiFromXtraZ

    Can any object with positive mechanical energy collide earth?

    Object with positive mechanical energy in an attractive force field moves along a hyperbolic path and whose energy is zero, moves along parabolic path...isn't it?...But why?...Can't any object with ve energy move along the line joining centre of force?...If its radial component of kinetic...
  44. marellasunny

    Frictional mechanical clutch slip(dry clutch)

    During the short period of engagement of the friction clutch(say t=1sec),energy is obviously lost as heat.I've been asked to calculate this loss of heat by my teacher. I've been given: 1.Input power(engine)= 50kW 2.Slip decreases linearly with time 3.Engagement process time,t=1sec Now,I...
  45. M

    Relevant certificate for a person who wants to become Mechanical Eng?

    Hi and Thank you for taking the time to read this. I have just completed my first semester in Engineer and to be exact, in mechanical engineering. I am obsessed with this field but it will take me at least 4 years to graduate if everything goes as planned. I wanted to know if there are...
  46. C

    Engineering Mechanical Engineering: Jobs, Salary, & Aerospace

    I am thinking about being a mechanical engineer but there are a few things I wanted to take into account before I picked this field. First, the amount of available jobs is important. Second, salary. I'm not a money crazed person but I plan on raising a family. I want to be able to pay...
  47. P

    Calculating Max Power at Chute-Montmorency

    Homework Statement At the Chute-Montmorency, water falls from a height of 83m. The average flow rate of the river is 35000 liters per second. Estimate the maximum power that a hydroelectric plant located at the bottom of the falls would provide. Homework Equations P = W/T W = F x d...
  48. C

    Engineering Weighing the Pros and Cons of a Mechanical Engineering Career

    I am thinking about being a mechanical engineer but there are a few things I wanted to take into account before I picked this field. First, the amount of available jobs is important. Second, salary. I'm not a money crazed person but I plan on raising a family. I want to be able to pay...
  49. E

    Focusing on a specific area of Mechanical Engineering Undergrad?

    I am majoring in Mechanical Engineering, and I found a research opportunity I really want (it focus on Fastening and Joining). I want to take classes relevant to this area, but my university offers different areas to specialize in as an Undergrad, so which one should I focus on in order to take...
  50. W

    Mechanical Engineering and BioMed. Engineering?

    Hello, Has anyone here studied Mechanical Engineering but is doing work related to Biomedical Engineering or in the the Biotechnology or Biomedical Devices industry? If so, I would like to ask a few questions. How applicable was a Mechanical Engineering degree to your current work? Do...
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