Through Engineers’ Eyes
This short video explains what you have encountered and what is to come.
This quick video highlights your progress towards Engineers Eyes. The concept wheel shows how it all fits together.
Week 5 concept wheel (Click to expand)
Friction is tricky. Sometimes you want more; sometimes you want less.
First you had to learn how to describe friction. Then you learnt how to represent it on FBDs (They have their own conventional interactions).
Next you had to work out how best to attack a friction problem using laws of friction and equilibrium. There were basic concepts and two special cases (tip/slide problems and rope-around-a-bollard problems).
I find that friction problems are mind stretching. It’s satisfying when you get them out; irritating when you don’t!
Perhaps you found that practice was good.
Talking points
These are to get you started. Share any other thoughts you’ve had.
- Do you see beauty and mystery in the equation for the ratio of tensions in a rope around a bollard?
- We have said that ‘the Engineers’ basic model of friction is rough and ready but nevertheless useful’. What do you think about this statement?
Share your experiments
Don’t forget to share your experiments on the Through Engineers’ Eyes Padlet wall for this week.
Through Engineers' Eyes: Engineering Mechanics by Experiment, Analysis and Design
Through Engineers' Eyes: Engineering Mechanics by Experiment, Analysis and Design
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