Motion

Summary

Mechanics is the study of motion, forces, and energy.
- Motion is the action of changing location or position.
- A force is any interaction that causes a change in motion, shape, or energy.
- A system possesses energy if it has the ability to do work.
  (Work is done when a force causes a change in the energy of a system.)
Mechanics can be divided into sub-disciplines.
- Kinematics is the branch of mechanics that deals with motion without regard to forces or energy.
- Dynamics is the branch of mechanics that deals with motion and forces together.
- Statics is the branch of mechanics that deals with forces in the absence of changes in motion or energy.
- The work-energy theorem is the is the central principle of mechanics that relates forces and energy.
- The conservation of energy is the central principle of science that deals with energy in all of its forms.
- Kinetic energy is the term that refers to all forms of energy due to motion.
There are several types of motion …
- Translational motion results in a change of location.
- Oscillatory motion is repetitive and fluctuates between two locations.
- Rotational motion occurs when an object spins.
- Random motion is unpredictable in practice or theory.