Chapter 1: Introduction to Mechanics of Materials

This chapter sets the stage for everything you’ll learn about how materials behave under different forces. We start by looking at why Mechanics of Materials is so important—not just for engineers, but for anyone interested in designing safe, reliable, and efficient structures. You get to know the basic concepts and keywords like stress, strain, and deformation, which are the foundation for all the calculations and predictions you’ll do in this subject. We also take a quick journey through the history, showing how observations and early experiments, from the days of ancient builders to famous scientists like Galileo and Hooke, helped shape the field into what it is today. Finally, you’re introduced to the essential measurement units you’ll use, reminding you how staying consistent with units is super important in engineering. In short, this chapter gives you the big picture: Mechanics of Materials helps you make smart choices about materials, design safer structures, and understand the “language” engineers use to talk about how things bend, stretch, and sometimes break.