SE2003 Introduction to Mechanical Systems

The course provides a basic understanding of the physical properties underlying combat systems. It presents calculus based physics covering a broad range of topics in mechanics, heat, and sound. Relevance to military development is discussed. Practical tools are developed to describe motion, Newton's force laws, friction and drag, energy and momentum, rotation, gravitation and orbits, fluids, oscillations, chaos, waves, gases, and thermodynamics.

Prerequisite

SE1001, SE1002

Lecture Hours

4

Lab Hours

2

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Apply the fundamental principles of Newton’s laws to describe the motion of simple systems under a variety of applied forces.
• Explain and apply the concepts of conservation of energy and conservation of momentum to solve problems.
• Describe the link between kinematics and the analog rotational quantities.  Be able to describe the rotational motion of a simple system, to include concepts of angular momentum, acceleration, and frequency, moment of Inertia and torque.
• Qualitatively and quantitatively describe simple harmonic motion and the concept of frequency and period as they apply to oscillations.
• Understand and apply the fundamental properties of longitudinal and transverse waves, including the concepts of superposition, interference, resonance, energy transport, intensity, “beats”, and the Doppler Effect for sound.
• Explain and apply the laws of thermodynamics to problems involving work and energy for a variety of standard systems and cycles.