Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

mechanicsmore about mechanics

mechanics


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Mechanics  \Me*chan"ics\,  n.  [Cf.  F.  m['e]canique.] 
  That  science,  or  branch  of  applied  mathematics,  which  treats 
  of  the  action  of  forces  on  bodies. 
 
  Note:  That  part  of  mechanics  which  considers  the  action  of 
  forces  in  producing  rest  or  equilibrium  is  called 
  {statics};  that  which  relates  to  such  action  in 
  producing  motion  is  called  {dynamics}.  The  term 
  mechanics  includes  the  action  of  forces  on  all  bodies, 
  whether  solid,  liquid,  or  gaseous.  It  is  sometimes 
  however,  and  formerly  was  often  used  distinctively  of 
  solid  bodies  only:  The  mechanics  of  liquid  bodies  is 
  called  also  {hydrostatics},  or  {hydrodynamics}, 
  according  as  the  laws  of  rest  or  of  motion  are 
  considered.  The  mechanics  of  gaseous  bodies  is  called 
  also  {pneumatics}.  The  mechanics  of  fluids  in  motion, 
  with  special  reference  to  the  methods  of  obtaining  from 
  them  useful  results,  constitutes  {hydraulics}. 
 
  {Animal  mechanics}  (Physiol.),  that  portion  of  physiology 
  which  has  for  its  object  the  investigation  of  the  laws  of 
  equilibrium  and  motion  in  the  animal  body.  The  most 
  important  mechanical  principle  is  that  of  the  lever,  the 
  bones  forming  the  arms  of  the  levers,  the  contractile 
  muscles  the  power,  the  joints  the  fulcra  or  points  of 
  support,  while  the  weight  of  the  body  or  of  the  individual 
  limbs  constitutes  the  weight  or  resistance. 
 
  {Applied  mechanics},  the  principles  of  abstract  mechanics 
  applied  to  human  art;  also  the  practical  application  of 
  the  laws  of  matter  and  motion  to  the  construction  of 
  machines  and  structures  of  all  kinds. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  mechanics 
  n  1:  the  branch  of  physics  concerned  with  the  motion  of  bodies  in 
  a  frame  of  reference 
  2:  technical  aspects  of  doing  something  "mechanisms  of 
  communication";  "the  mechanics  of  prose  style"  [syn:  {mechanism}] 




more about mechanics