EPTThis week will be a rather short blog. I've had plenty to do (trying out new study habits, playing SC2, and else) but I wrote together a bit of the week!
Code S has really occupied me daily, hehe. With it being on at 10:10 AM more or less every day and our school having WiFi in every building, it's a bit too easy to tune in ^^ oh well!
I'll be playing at UniSL FInals next week. You know, the guys who made the "Land of the Zerg" video. I believe I'll be playing first on Saturday at 1 pm. Be sure to tune in then!
1) What have you done this week?
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i) Topics covered
Center of mass
ii) Time spent/what sessions?
Theory reading (1 x 2h)
4 calculation sessions (4 x 2h)
Repetition (~2 h)
Total=12 h
iii) Topics explained
I was supposed to go through free body diagrams in 2D as well, but there was a lot to do with just center of mass, so I ended up doing only that. Luckily, next week is only about FBDs and I managed to read the theory about FBDs in 2D, so I think it will be ok in the end.
Center of mass is about calculating the center of mass of an object or several objects. This is relevant because mechanics is about simplifying complex situations, and in many cases, objects can be approximated by being a single point object, which would be located at it's center of mass.
Calculations include two areas; finding the center of mass of a system of particles or the center of mass for a body. In this case, we approximate the body to be a rigid body; it will NOT change form (more about that later on!)
Finding the center of mass of a particle system can be done with a straightforward formula; finding the sum of the particles' position vectors, multiplied by their corresponding mass, and then dividing the sum with the total amount of mass of the system.
A more common situation is to find the center of mass of a body. It get's a little trickier, but there are several techniques. Basically, the same principle applies; approximate the body to a particle. If the body is complex, the idea is to divide it into sub-bodies, calculate their center and then add them all up as a particle system.
To find the center of mass of a body (or a sub-body!) we can use Pappus Rule. Pappus rule relates the area or volume of rotation around an axis to the center of mass and the line or area which is to be rotated. The equations are as following:
Volume of rotation=2(pi)*Yg*Area
Area of rotation=2(pi)*Yg*Length
where:
Yg - is the y-coordinate of the center of mass (if the figure is to be rotated around the x-axis)
Most of this theory will become understandable when it comes to solving problems, that's when the learning really happens!
iv) What challenges did you face?
Most of the exercises were tedious and quite daunting to start at, but it got easier and easier the more comfortable I got! The main focal point was just to do calculations
Center of mass
ii) Time spent/what sessions?
Theory reading (1 x 2h)
4 calculation sessions (4 x 2h)
Repetition (~2 h)
Total=12 h
iii) Topics explained
I was supposed to go through free body diagrams in 2D as well, but there was a lot to do with just center of mass, so I ended up doing only that. Luckily, next week is only about FBDs and I managed to read the theory about FBDs in 2D, so I think it will be ok in the end.
Center of mass is about calculating the center of mass of an object or several objects. This is relevant because mechanics is about simplifying complex situations, and in many cases, objects can be approximated by being a single point object, which would be located at it's center of mass.
Calculations include two areas; finding the center of mass of a system of particles or the center of mass for a body. In this case, we approximate the body to be a rigid body; it will NOT change form (more about that later on!)
Finding the center of mass of a particle system can be done with a straightforward formula; finding the sum of the particles' position vectors, multiplied by their corresponding mass, and then dividing the sum with the total amount of mass of the system.
A more common situation is to find the center of mass of a body. It get's a little trickier, but there are several techniques. Basically, the same principle applies; approximate the body to a particle. If the body is complex, the idea is to divide it into sub-bodies, calculate their center and then add them all up as a particle system.
To find the center of mass of a body (or a sub-body!) we can use Pappus Rule. Pappus rule relates the area or volume of rotation around an axis to the center of mass and the line or area which is to be rotated. The equations are as following:
Volume of rotation=2(pi)*Yg*Area
Area of rotation=2(pi)*Yg*Length
where:
Yg - is the y-coordinate of the center of mass (if the figure is to be rotated around the x-axis)
Most of this theory will become understandable when it comes to solving problems, that's when the learning really happens!
iv) What challenges did you face?
Most of the exercises were tedious and quite daunting to start at, but it got easier and easier the more comfortable I got! The main focal point was just to do calculations
2) Problems/Exercises
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No exercises this week either 
maybe I'll have to rethink how I should approach this section, as I have yet to upload a single exercise ^^
maybe I'll have to rethink how I should approach this section, as I have yet to upload a single exercise ^^3) Reflection Questions
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How would Pappus Rule be applied if the rotation would only be half-way?
How can Pappus Rule be used to find the area and/or the volume of a figure?
How can Pappus Rule be used to find the area and/or the volume of a figure?
4) For Next week
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i) What topics? What do you know about this?
Next week will be about free body diagrams, but I discussed this last week, so nothing really new to add here!
Next week will be about free body diagrams, but I discussed this last week, so nothing really new to add here!
Have a week!
