Notes on Mechanical Devices for the Electronics Experimenter: Difference between revisions

From Open Source Ecology
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Created page with "== Summary == I got this book because I don't know much about mechanical engineering and this seemed like a great intro. The introduction says it's meant for amateur experim...")
 
Line 9: Line 9:


=== Fundamental Qualities ===
=== Fundamental Qualities ===
We need to define some fundamentals before getting to the interesting stuff. Let's power through it.
We need to define some fundamentals before getting to the interesting stuff. Let's power through it.


There's 3 fundamental qualities that makes up reality, physics-wise:
There's 3 fundamental qualities that makes up reality, physics-wise:
1. Length - was once defined by a metal rod. Now it's defined by the speed of light.
1. Length - was once defined by a metal rod. Now it's defined by the speed of light.
2. Time - Once defined by a fraction of a day in 1900. Now it's defined by periods of radiation from a cesium atom.
2. Time - Once defined by a fraction of a day in 1900. Now it's defined by periods of radiation from a cesium atom.
3. Mass/Weight - Mass is constant, but weight is "mass * the-acceleration-of-gravity". In any case, for us it's the same.
3. Mass/Weight - Mass is constant, but weight is "mass * the-acceleration-of-gravity". In any case, for us it's the same.


Line 28: Line 32:
* Luminous Intensity - light-ness, measured in "candela"
* Luminous Intensity - light-ness, measured in "candela"
* Temperature - measured in "kelvin" as well as F and C.
* Temperature - measured in "kelvin" as well as F and C.
=== Vectors & Motion ===
How do measure how stuff moves across space (length) and time?
==== Vectors ====
Vectors show you force has a horizontal and vertical component. For example, if this slash "\" had an arrow pointing down, then if it were moving a box, that would push it both into the floor and across the floor. Woo hoo.
==== Motion ====
Here's some key things:
1. Speed / Velocity - distance over time
2. Rotational Speed - revolutions per minute or angular distance traveled (degrees per second, radians per minute)
3. Acceleration - the rate of change of velocity. So if acceleration is 0, then the velocity is constant. (d*sec^-2)

Revision as of 23:06, 3 August 2018

Summary

I got this book because I don't know much about mechanical engineering and this seemed like a great intro.

The introduction says it's meant for amateur experimenters to get a good foundation for experimentation and measurement and build by designing<=>building<=>testing.

Perfect!

Ch 1: Basic mechanical principles

Fundamental Qualities

We need to define some fundamentals before getting to the interesting stuff. Let's power through it.

There's 3 fundamental qualities that makes up reality, physics-wise:

1. Length - was once defined by a metal rod. Now it's defined by the speed of light.

2. Time - Once defined by a fraction of a day in 1900. Now it's defined by periods of radiation from a cesium atom.

3. Mass/Weight - Mass is constant, but weight is "mass * the-acceleration-of-gravity". In any case, for us it's the same.

Notably, here's a few units of mass:

  • kilogram - kg -- 2.204 pound-mass
  • pound-mass - lbm -- 0.4536 kg
  • slug - slug -- 32.174 pound-mass

Yes, we're just treating pounds as a mass by calling it pound-mass.

There's also these other relevant units of reality:

  • Electric Current - force generated between two conductors at some length, measured in "ampere"
  • Luminous Intensity - light-ness, measured in "candela"
  • Temperature - measured in "kelvin" as well as F and C.

Vectors & Motion

How do measure how stuff moves across space (length) and time?

Vectors

Vectors show you force has a horizontal and vertical component. For example, if this slash "\" had an arrow pointing down, then if it were moving a box, that would push it both into the floor and across the floor. Woo hoo.

Motion

Here's some key things:

1. Speed / Velocity - distance over time

2. Rotational Speed - revolutions per minute or angular distance traveled (degrees per second, radians per minute)

3. Acceleration - the rate of change of velocity. So if acceleration is 0, then the velocity is constant. (d*sec^-2)