Common Mechanical Words
Mechanical terminology can be difficult to learn. There are many words and terms relating to mechanical systems, machines, and physics that can be confusing. Here are some of the more common mechanical words and their definitions.
Force: Force is a measure of an objects strength and the amount of energy being applied to it. It is measured in newtons (N), the unit of energy in the International System of Units.
Momentum: Momentum is the amount of energy an object has as it moves in a given direction. It is measured in newtons per second.
Fluid Dynamics: Fluid Dynamics is the study of the motion of fluids, such as air and water. It focuses on the effects of gravity, pressure, viscosity, and other forces on the movement of fluids.
Inertia: Inertia is an objects resistance to acceleration or change in velocity. It is the principle of physics that states that an object that is at rest will remain at rest, and an object that is moving will continue to move at the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an outside force.
Torque: Torque is a measure of the force applied to an object to cause its rotation around some axis. The SI unit of torque is the newton meter (N m).
Work: Work is the change in energy of an object due to a force applied to it. It is measured in joules (J), the unit of energy in the SI system.
Power: Power is the rate at which work is done. It is the rate at which energy is transferred from one form to another. It is measured in watts (W).
Friction: Friction is the force that opposes the motion of two surfaces that are in contact. It is a type of contact force, which means it is a force that is applied to an object by contact with another object.
Centrifugal Force: Centrifugal force is a type of force that occurs when an object moves in a curved path. It acts outward and tangent to the objects motion, and is a result of the objects inertia.
Rotational Motion: Rotational motion is the motion of an object that rotates around an axis. It can be described by its angular position, angular velocity, and angular acceleration.
Compression: Compression is the process of reducing the size or volume of an object by applying a force to it.
Tension: Tension is the opposite of compression, where an object is stretched by applying a force to it.
Elasticity: Elasticity is the property of a material that causes it to return to its original shape after the applied force is removed.
Robotics: Robotics is the science of using robots in engineering and other fields. It involves the design, programming, and control of machines that are capable of performing a specific task.
Coulombs Law: Coulombs Law is a physical law that states that the force of interaction between two electric charges is proportional to their size and inversely proportional to the distance between them.
Kinetic Energy: Kinetic Energy is the energy of a moving object. It is equal to one-half the mass of the object, multiplied by its velocity squared.
Hookes Law: Hookes Law is a physical law that states that the force required to stretch/compress an elastic object is proportional to the amount of stretch/compression.
