Editing Mechanical engineering (section)

===Mechanics===
[[File:Mohrs circle.svg|thumb|[[Mohr's circle]], a common tool to study [[Stress (physics)|stresses]] in a mechanical element]]
{{main|Mechanics}}

Mechanics is, in the most general sense, the study of [[force]]s and their effect upon [[matter]]. Typically, engineering mechanics is used to analyze and predict the acceleration and deformation (both [[Elastic Deformation|elastic]] and [[Plastic Deformation|plastic]]) of objects under known forces (also called loads) or [[Stress (physics)|stresses]]. Subdisciplines of mechanics include
* [[Statics]], the study of non-moving bodies under known loads, how forces affect static bodies
* [[dynamics (mechanics)|Dynamics]], the study of how forces affect moving bodies. Dynamics includes kinematics (about movement, velocity, and acceleration) and kinetics (about forces and resulting accelerations).
* [[Mechanics of materials]], the study of how different materials deform under various types of stress
* [[Fluid mechanics]], the study of how fluids react to forces<ref>Note: fluid mechanics can be further split into fluid statics and fluid dynamics, and is itself a subdiscipline of continuum mechanics. The application of fluid mechanics in engineering is called [[hydraulics]] and [[pneumatics]].</ref>
* [[Kinematics]], the study of the motion of bodies (objects) and systems (groups of objects), while ignoring the forces that cause the motion. Kinematics is often used in the design and analysis of [[Mechanism (engineering)|mechanisms]].
* [[Continuum mechanics]], a method of applying mechanics that assumes that objects are continuous (rather than [[wikt:discrete|discrete]])

Mechanical engineers typically use mechanics in the design or analysis phases of engineering. If the engineering project were the design of a vehicle, statics might be employed to design the frame of the vehicle, in order to evaluate where the stresses will be most intense. Dynamics might be used when designing the car's engine, to evaluate the forces in the [[piston]]s and [[Cam (mechanism)|cam]]s as the engine cycles. Mechanics of materials might be used to choose appropriate materials for the frame and engine. Fluid mechanics might be used to design a ventilation system for the vehicle (see [[HVAC]]), or to design the [[intake]] system for the engine.