Engineering Mechanics

Lesson plan - Lecture - 01

(Duration: 40 min.)
Learning outcome:

Review mathematical operations required for engineering mechanics

Content:

What is a scalar?
What is a vector?
Vector operations
Dot product
Cross product
Trigonometry (http://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/trigonometry.html)
Newtons law of mechanics

Action plan for Delivery:

5 min:
Student would recall and list the scalar and vector quantities.
5 min: (MCQ)
1.0 To test your understanding of this distinction, consider the following quantities listed below.
Categorize each quantity as being either a vector or a scalar.
a. 5 m

See Answer

b. 30 m/sec, East

See Answer

c. 5 mi., North

See Answer

d. 20 degrees Celsius

See Answer

e. 256 bytes

See Answer

f. 4000 Calories

See Answer

2.0 Which of the following statements are true of scalars and vectors? List all that are TRUE.
a.
b.
c.
d.

A vector quantity always has a direction associated with it.

A scalar quantity can have a direction associated with it.
Vectors can be added together; scalar quantities cannot.
Vectors can be represented by an arrow on a scaled diagram; the length of the arrow
represents the vector's magnitude and the direction it points represents the vector's direction.

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5 min:
Express the vectors components using the following figure.

Student would observe the trigonometry animation

(http://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/trigonometry.html)

5 min. (MCQ)
3.0 A 50-N force is applied at an angle of 30 degrees north of east. This would be the same as
applying two forces at
a.
b.
c.
d.

43 N, east and 7 N, north

35 N, east and 15 N, north
25 N, east and 25 N, north
43 N, east and 25 N, north

5 min: (Vector operations)

Student would observe the picture (a man riding a boat in a river)
-

Predict the direction of stream (water flow) at which the boat would move faster.
Predict the condition at which the boat would experience maximum resistance to linear
motion.

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5 min:
-

Faculty would explain the relationship between the vector operations and the significance of
trigonometry

10 min: (MCQ)
4.0 What is the value of a.b?

a.
b.
c.
d.

3
8
24
28

5.0 Vector a has magnitude 3, vector b has magnitude 4, the angle between a and b is 30 and n is
the unit vector at right angles to both a and b
What is a b?
a.
b.
c.
d.

3n
6n
9n
10.39n

Newtons law of mechanics

Instruct students to recall and revisit the Newtons law of gravitation and mechanics (I, II and III law)
for attending the next lecture.

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Engineering

Mechanics-Lecture