Statics is the study of bodies that are not accelerating: every force and moment on them balances. It is the first engineering mechanics course and the foundation for mechanics of materials, machine design and structures.
How to use these lessons: They teach methods, not answers to assigned problems. Work each example yourself first, then compare your steps with ours.
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The 2027 Engineer Edition planner — dated and undated, for classes, labs and projects.
A statics course moves from particles to rigid bodies to structures. The method is always the same: isolate the body, draw every force on it, and apply the equilibrium equations. These lessons cover the two skills everything else builds on.
Work every problem in the same order: FBD, equations, solve, check. Most lost points come from a missing or misplaced force on the FBD, not from the algebra. Once reactions come easily, move on to mechanics of materials, which uses them to find stress and deformation.
The math is mostly algebra and trigonometry. The difficulty is in setting problems up correctly, which improves quickly with practice drawing free body diagrams.
Usually dynamics and mechanics of materials. Dynamics adds acceleration; mechanics of materials uses the internal forces from statics to find stress and deformation.
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