1. RYERSON UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT PHYSICS
PCS 211 – Physics: MECHANICS
Course Outline
Fall 2009
• Textbook: “Engineering Mechanics – Statics and Dynamics”, 12th Edition, by R.C.
Hibbeler (Pearson-Prentice-Hall)
TOPICS (TIME) Textbook Section Homework
0 – Introduction to the course (1.5 hour)
Course outline
Course management
Ryerson policies and rules of conduct
Clicker quizzes and Master Engineering assignments
I - Introductory Mechanics concepts: (~1.5 hour)
Mechanics Fundamental Concepts 1.1 – 1.2
Units of Measurement - SI 1.3 – 1.4 3,8,13,14,15,21
II –Force Vectors: (~9 hours)
Scalars and Vectors 2.1
Vector Operations 2.2
Vector Addition of Forces 2.3 2,3,6,11,18,24,31
Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces 2.4 33,34,42,46,50,56
Cartesian Vectors 2.5
Addition of Cartesian Vectors 2.6 59,61,62,65,70,72,82,85
Position Vectors 2.7
Force Vector Directed Along a Line 2.8 86,89,92,94,95,96,101,104,110
Dot Product 2.9 112,114,123,128,134
III – Equilibrium of a Particle: (~4 hours)
Condition for Equilibrium of a Particle 3.1
The Free-Body Diagram 3.2
Coplanar Force Systems 3.3 3,6,10,17,21,26,29,38,39,42,43
Three-Dimensional Force Systems 3.4 46,47,49,58,61,65
IV – Force System Resultants: (~6 hours)

2. Moment of a Force 4.1 – 4.3
Principle of Moments 4.4 5,7,9,18,23,25,28,32,46,47
Moment of a Force about a Specified Axis 4.5 52,55,57,62,65,69
Moment of a Couple 4.6 80,82,83,85,90,99,103
V – Equilibrium of a Rigid Body: (~12 hours)
Conditions for Rigid Body Equilibrium 5.1
Free-Body Diagrams 5.2 2,4,5,7,8
Equations of Equilibrium 5.3
Two and Three force Members 5.4 12,13,16,33,36,40,43,46,59,60
Friction 8.1 – 8.2 1,3,6,8,11,20,21,43,56
VI – Center of gravity and Centroid: (~2 hours)
Center of Mass/Gravity for a system of Particles 9.1
Composite Bodies 9.2 44,46,48,50,53,59,60,65
76,78,80
VII – Kinematics of a Particle: (~6 hours)
Rectilinear Kinematics 12.1 – 12.2 1,3,6,10,15,23,26
Curvilinear Motion 12.4 – 12.6 72,74,87,89,107,110
Normal and Tangential Components 12.7 121,124,126,136,143,147
149,151
VIII – Kinetics of a Particle: (~10 hours)
Newton’s Laws and Motion 13.1, 13.2 5,6,11,12,18,25,27,28,31
Equations of Motion 13.3, 13.5 48,51,62,64,79
The Work of a Force 14.1
Work and Energy and power 14.2 – 14.4 1,6,10,11,13,21,24,27,30
31,42,48
Linear Impulse and Momentum 15.1 – 15.3 1,3,4,10,16,20,26,31,32
34,39,42,44,51
• Course Organization: 4 hours of lectures per week, and 2 hours of lab every other week.
• Course Evaluation:
o One midterm test;
o 5 M.E. assignments (administered on the web);
o clicker quizzes in class.
o Lab
o Final Exam
• Success in the course: In order to pass the course a student has to obtain at least 50% in
the lab and 50% in the theory components (quizzes + assignments + test + exam).