Applied mechanics Applied mechanics is a branch of the physical sciences and the practical application ofmechanics. Applied mechanics examines the response of bodies (solids and fluids) or systems of bodies to externalforces. Some examples ofmechanical systems include the flow of a liquid underpressure, the fracture of a solid from an applied force , or the vibration of an ear in response to sound. A practitioner ofthe discipline is known as a mechanician . Applied mechanics, as its name suggests, bridges the gap between physical theory and its application totechnology . As such, applied mechanics is used in many fields ofengineering, especially mechanical engineering. In this context, it is commonly referred to as engineering mechanics. Much of modern engineering mechanics is based on Isaac Newton's laws of motion while the modern practice of theirapplication can be traced back to Stephen Timoshenko, who is said to be the father of modern engineering mechanics. Within the theoretical sciences, applied mechanics is useful in formulating new ideas and theories, discovering and interpreting phenomena, and developing experimental and computational tools. In the application of the natural sciences , mechanics was said to be complemented by thermodynamics by physical chemists Gilbert N. Lewis and Merle Randall , the study of heat and more generally energy , andelectromechanics , the study ofelectricity and magnetism [1] Applied mechanics in practice As a scientific discipline, applied mechanics derives many of its principles and methods from the Physical sciences (in particular, Mechanics and Classical Mechanics ), from Mathematics and, increasingly, from Computer Science. As such, Applied Mechanics shares similar methods, theories, and topics with Applied Physics, Applied Mathematics , and Computational Science . As an enabling discipline , applied mechanics has received impetus from the study of natural phenomena such as orbits of planets, circulation of blood,locomotion of animals , crawling of cells, formation of mountains, and propagation ofseismic waves. Such studies have resulted in disciplines such as celestial mechanics , biomechanics and geomechanics . As a practical discipline , applied mechanics has also advanced by participating in major inventions throughout history, such as buildings, ships, automobiles, railways, petroleum refineries, engines , airplanes , nuclear reactors , composite materials , computers , and medical implants . In such connections, the discipline is also known asEngineering Mechanics, often practiced within Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering , Construction Engineering , Materials Science and Engineering , Aerospac e Engineering , Chemical Engineering , Electrical Engineering , NuclearEngineering , Struct ural engineering and Bioengineering.
