Non-conservative forces are dissipative forces such as friction or air resistance. These forces take energy away from a system as it progresses. Unlike conservative forces, non-conservative forces do not have potential energy associated with them. This is because the energy is lost to the system and cannot be turned into useful work later.
Also unlike their conservative counterparts, they are path-dependent; where the object starts and stops does matter. For example, a grinding wheel applies a...

Journal bearings are mechanical components that support and provide lateral stability to rotating shafts and axles. They are crucial in reducing friction, wear, and vibration in machinery such as engines, turbines, and pumps. The principle behind journal bearings is forming a thin lubricant film between the bearing surface and the rotating shaft, which minimizes direct contact and reduces frictional forces.
To better understand the concept of journal bearings, consider a rope winch with dry or...

Impact occurs when two bodies collide, leading to the application of impulsive forces between them. Analyzing impact mechanics involves considering two colliding particles moving along a line known as the line of impact, which passes through their centers and is perpendicular to the contact plane.
When particles with different initial velocities collide, they induce deformation by applying equal and opposite impulses. At the point of maximum deformation, the particles move together with...

Consider a ball of mass m, attached to a massless rod of known length, subjected to a time-dependent torque. If the initial velocity of the mass is known, then the final velocity of the mass for time t can be determined using the principle of angular impulse and momentum.
Initially, a free-body diagram of the system is drawn to illustrate all the forces acting upon the system, providing a crucial understanding of the dynamics at play. Then, the principle of angular impulse and momentum is...

Projectile motion becomes evident when a player kicks the ball into the air. The launch angle, or the angle at which the ball is kicked, plays a crucial role in determining the trajectory of the projectile. As the ball soars through the air, influenced solely by gravity, its motion can be dissected into two independent velocity components: the horizontal and the vertical.
Horizontal motion, governed by the initial kick, maintains a constant velocity throughout the flight of the soccer ball.

Impact loading occurs when a moving object collides with a stationary structure, such as a rod with a uniform cross-sectional area fixed at one end. Under these conditions, the rod absorbs the kinetic energy from the striking object, leading to deformation and subsequent stress development. As the rod returns to its original position and reaches maximum stress, the absorbed energy, initially manifested as kinetic energy, transforms entirely into strain energy.
In cases of elastic deformation,...