Don't Panic with Mechanics!

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-VIII

   PDF

2. In Full Possession of Our Mental Forces And Moments: Statics

   Pages 1-71

3. Enough Rigid Thinking: Elastostatics

   Pages 72-137

4. Everything in Motion: Kinematics and Kinetics

   Pages 138-194

5. Practice Makes the Loser a Winner

   Pages 195-338

6. Back Matter

   Pages 339-343

   PDF

There are a lot of textbooks for mechanics - why another one?
Because reading this textbook should be fun - but as a side effect the reader should also learn the basics of mechanics without suffering to much! Or to say it more officially: The scope of the textbook is to teach mechanics by means of simple examples from everyday life instead of sophisticated scientific approaches. The examples, supported by a lot of cartoons, should help to learn by associations and practical experiences. A similar textbook has not existed before - the terms "mechanics" and "fun" have always been contradictious.

A strange textbook - is it possible to trust in the authors?
You can trust in the scientific education of the authors. They have taught mechanics for about 10 years at the University of Hanover, Germany and know about the problems involved when students collide with mechanics. However - you should not trust in the authors with respect to their obligation to extraordinary scientific approaches - the authors rigorously eliminate theoretical blow ups. But the authors would be prepared to defuse the humour in some cases if necessary ...

• basics
• cartoons
• elastostatics
• electrical engineering
• examples
• excersises
• kinematics
• kinetics
• mechanics
• statics

"Auf Englisch, mit viel Witz und so mancher auflockernder Zeichnung beweisen die Autoren, dass die Grundlagen der Statik, Elastostatik und Kinetik ganz und gar nicht so trocken sind, wie wir immer dachten."
engine, 02/2006

Dr. Nikolaus Hinrichs and Dr. Oliver Romberg received their Ph.D.'s in mechanical engineering from the University of Hannover. Besides research activities in this special area they were teaching Mechanics over a period of more than 10 years. They are quite aware of the problems when Mechanics and Students meet. Today Dr. Hinrichs is European Patent and Trademark Attorney, Göttingen. Dr. Romberg works as project manager in space technology, Bremen.

Policies and ethics