Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Chapter 7
Length and Length-
Related Variables
in Engineering

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Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Learning Objectives
1. Length as a Fundamental Dimension
Describe the role of length in engineering analysis and design, as
well as its units, measurement, and calculation

2. Ratios of Two Lengths—Radians and Strain

Explain what is meant by radians and strain—both length-related
quantities—and their role in engineering analysis and design

3. Area
Describe the role of area—a length-related quantity—in
engineering analysis and design, as well as its units, calculation,
and measurement

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Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Learning Objectives
4. Volume
Describe the role of volume—a length-related quantity—in
engineering analysis and design, as well as its units, calculation,
and measurement

5. Second Moment of Area

Explain what is meant by second moment of area—a length-
related quantity—its role in engineering analysis and design, and
its calculation

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Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Some descriptions of Length

Tall
Short
descriptive but
Long
not exact
Wide
Narrow

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Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Why is the Concept of Length

Important in Engineering?

We need to define a physical quantity or

physical dimension such as length to
describe our surroundings

We need the dimension length to

communicate better with others using a
common definition of this physical quantity

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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Length as a Fundamental Dimension

Observe your surroundings
e.g.)  The size of a soda can
its
dimension
what are the important design factors?

 The size of a highway sign and related design

factors
 The width of hallways and supermarket aisles

 The size of a car seat and how it is

determined
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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering
Engineering, SI Moaveni

Length and Coordinate Systems

Coordinate Systems are used to locate things with respect to
a known origin
Types of coordinate systems:
• Cartesian
• Cylindrical
• Spherical

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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Coordinate Systems – Applications

 Map
Direction to go from
place A to place B
 Computer Numerical
Controlled (CNC)
machines
 milling machine
 lathe

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Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering
Engineering, SI Moaveni

Units or Divisions of Length

International System
U.S. Customary Units
of Units (SI)

meter (m) foot (ft)

centimeter (cm) inch (in)
millimeter (mm) yard (yd)
micrometer (m) mile
kilometer (km)

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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

What Is Length?
Length
One of the seven fundamental or base
dimensions that we use to properly express
what we know of our natural world

• Base SI Unit - meter (m)

Length of the path traveled by
light in a vacuum during a time
interval of 1/299,792,458 of a
second

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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering
Engineering, SI Moaveni

Length Measurement Illustration

 Determine the height of a building (H) indirectly

Procedure
• Measure h1
• Use the hollow tube to
aim at the roof of a
building
• Measure the angle 
• Measure the distance d
• Use trigonometry to Materials needed
calculate h2 • Drinking straw or any hollow tube
• Calculate H • Protractor
• Steel tape or ruler
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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Some Useful Trigonometric Relationships

For a right triangle

The Pythagorean relation

a 2  b2  c 2

opposite a adjacent b sin  opposite a

sin    , cos    , tan    
hypotenuse c hypotenuse c cos  adjacent b
opposite b adjacent a sin  opposite b
sin    , cos    , tan    
hypotenuse c hypotenuse c cos  adjacent a

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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Some Useful Trigonometric Identities

For an arbitrarily shaped triangle

The sine rule

a b c
 
sin  sin  sin 

The cosine rule b2  c 2  a 2

cos  
a 2  b 2  c 2  2bc  cos   2bc
2 2 2
a  c  b
b 2  a 2  c 2  2ac  cos   or cos  
2ac
c 2  a 2  b 2  2ba  cos   a 2  b2  c2
cos  
2ba
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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Some Useful Trigonometric Identities

Some other useful trigonometry identities
sin 2   cos 2   1
sin 2  2sin  cos 
cos 2  cos 2   2 cos 2   1  1  2sin 2 
sin      sin 
cos     cos 
sin      sin  cos   sin  cos 
sin      sin  cos   sin  cos 
cos      cos  cos   sin  sin 
cos      cos  cos   sin  cos 

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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Nominal Sizes versus Actual Sizes

Nominal sizes
dimensions that are easy to remember
Manufacturers’ agreed-upon standard sizes

Nominal size: W8x35

Actual depth: 20.62 cm
Nominal size: 50 by 200 mm W8x35
d = 20.62 cm
Actual size: ~40 x 190 mm tw = 0.79 cm
bf = 20.37 cm
tf = 1.26 cm

Nominal size: 5 cm Actual size: do = 5.4 cm,

di = 5.1 cm
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Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Ratio of Two Lengths

– Radians and Strain
Radians
The ratio of two lengths (Length/Length)
 unitless
S1 S 2
angle    
R1 R2

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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Ratio of Two Lengths

– Radians and Strain
Normal strain
The ratio of deformation length to original length
 unitless

L
strain 
L

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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Area
Derived, or secondary physical quantity

A length-related variable
Its value is determined from the product of two lengths

Plays an important role in analysis and design of

problems in heating and cooling, aerodynamics,
cutting tools, and building foundations
Units: m2, cm2, mm2, in2, ft2

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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering
Engineering, SI Moaveni

Why does Crushed Ice Cool Drinks Faster?

Consider a 1 m x 1 m x 1 m cube,
volume = 1 m3
total surface area = 6 x 1 m2 = 6 m2

Divide each dimension of cube by half,

volume = 1 m3
total surface area = 8 x (6 x 0.25 m2)
= 12 m2

Divide each dimension of cube again by half,

volume = 1 m3
total surface area = 64 x (6 x 0.0625 m2)
= 24 m2
The exposed surface area is four
times the original surface area
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Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering
Engineering, SI Moaveni

Air Resistance

Air resistance to the motion of a vehicle

drag force
drag coefficient 
 air density air speed  frontal area 
1 2
2

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Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering
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Cross-sectional Area

Area also plays an important role in the design of

cutting tools

force
pressureat
Pressure thecutting
at the cutting edge
surface 
cross-sectional area
at the cutting edge

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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Approximation of Planar Areas

Other ways of approximating the surface areas
of irregular shapes
Counting the Squares
Subtracting Unwanted Areas
Weighing the Area

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Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Volume
Volume
Another important physical quantity, or
physical variable that we use in our every day
lives to quantify the size of things

Units: m3, cm3, mm3, in3, ft3

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Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Why is volume important?

We live in a 3-dimensional world
Naturally, volume plays an important role in
how things are shaped or how things work
Density of material
How light or heavy a material is per unit volume
Buoyancy
The force that a fluid exerts on a submerged object

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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Buoyancy
The magnitude of the buoyancy force
is equal to the weight of the volume
of the fluid displaced, which is given
by
FB  Vg

where
buoyancy force  FB  ρVg (N)

where

V  volume of the object (m 3 )

  density of fluid kg m 3 

g  accelerati on due to gravity 9.8 m s 2 

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 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, SI Moaveni

Second Moment of Areas

Also known as area moment of inertia
Important property of an area
Provides information on how hard
it is to bend something
units: mm4, cm4, m4, in4, ft4

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Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering
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Second Moment of Area

Bend the rod and yardstick in the directions shown.
Which way is it easier to bend?
• a rod
• a yardstick

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