Mechanical Principles

Overview

Framework:
RQF
Level:
Level 3
Unit No:
F/618/5194
Credits:
6
Guided learning hours:
42 hours

Aim

Learners will develop an understanding of mechanical principles and the way they affect the design, operation, testing and servicing of machines and mechanisms.

Unit Learning Outcomes

1

Understand concepts and principles relating to mechanical systems.

Parameters: mass, Earth’s gravity, weight, force, pressure, density, relative density, moment of a force, displacement, velocity, acceleration/retardation, limiting coefficient of kinetic friction, work done, power.

Finding forces using graphical methods, including: concurrent coplanar forces, parallelogram of forces, resultant force, space diagram, vector diagram, triangle of forces, polygon of forces, equilibrant force, principle of moments, static equilibrium of a body.

Line graphs: determining suitable scales from given data, defining and correctly labelling axes, determine the gradient, determine the intercept, prove the law of the straight line graph is y = mx + c.

Assessment Criteria

  • 1.1

    Define parameters of static and dynamic mechanical systems.

  • 1.2

    Using a graphical method find the resultant of two concurrent coplanar forces from given data.

2

Understand the principle of moments.

Moments of a force: define and apply the principle of moments, define the meanings of the terms torque, couple.

Solve problems: associated with levers and couples work, power and energy define work done in terms of force and distance moved.

Assessment Criteria

  • 2.1

    Define moment of a force about a point.

  • 2.2

    Apply the principles of moments to solve related problems using formula.

3

Understand the terms velocity and acceleration.

Velocity: rate of change of position with respect to time, acceleration: rate of change of velocity. Both are vector quantities (and so also have a specified direction), but the units of velocity are meters per second while the units of acceleration are meters per second squared.

Assessment Criteria

  • 3.1

    Explain the relationship between velocity and acceleration.

  • 3.2

    Solve problems relating to speed, distance and acceleration using formula.

4

Understand the principles of motion.

Motion: distance, time, speed, graphical representation of distance against time, displacement, graphical representation of displacement against time, velocity, acceleration, graphical representation of velocity against time, formulae for calculating uniform acceleration and retardation, limiting coefficient of kinetic friction, frictional resistance to motion, work done, power.

Assessment Criteria

  • 4.1

    Use equations of motion to solve related problems.

  • 4.2

    Use the equation F = ma to solve related problems using formula.

5

Understand the concept of work, energy and power.

Work, power and energy: explain what is meant by energy; state that the unit of energy is the joule (J), the unit of power is the watt (W) and the unit of work is the joule (J); define power in terms of voltage/current and work done per second, perform calculations for work, power and energy.

Assessment Criteria

  • 5.1

    Apply the concept of work, power and energy to solve related problems using formula.

  • 5.2

    Explain the difference between potential and kinetic energy.

  • 5.3

    Apply the concepts of potential and kinetic energy to solve related problems using formula.