Mechanics (Dover Books on Physics)

I took a course on vector statics in undergrad, and foolishly I sold my textbook back to the bookstore. I later found myself wanting a refresher and so I purchased this book. It has proven an incredible resource. The pedagogical approach is highly visual and geometric. A slip through the book will reveal that there is at least one diagram per page, all heavily labeled, and all physical arguments throughout the text are based on the geometric properties of the diagrams. As some have commented, this is kind of archaic (for instance, calling a force going from a point A to a point B as AB), but fantastically approachable. Also fully explored are the classical, graphical methods of solutions, while the the text of course develops the modern algebraic technique. While packed full of diagrams, the text is also packed full of problems which are the only way to learn a subject like this. Almost the last 100 pages of the book are problems with solutions listed in the back. Plenty of examples and illustrations are given in the text as well, often in the form of simplified and idealized versions of real-world mechanisms. When I purchased the book, it was $15.95, compared to the $170 you'd spend on a modern textbook in statics and mechanics, and nothing new has happened in mechanics since Newton. I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to learn the subject themselves (understanding that they'd need actually do the exercises) on their own time. I'm not a professor, but I feel like I could easily have used this book as an undergraduate in an intro statics class as the main text and still gotten the same information as from my $170 book, assuming the same regime of homework problems. A definite recommend.

Just Excellent. Very well written overview and beautifully indexed. There is as much information in this little book as there is in texts four times the size and it is about 5% of the cost of those texts. MIT Professors tend to know their subjects and Hartog is no exception. This books gives us enough of an insight into Statics and Dynamics to leave us well grounded in the subject and with enough of an understanding of forces and analytic techniques to solve real world problems. You'll need your math here - Trig and Analytic Geometry and an understanding of calculus to know what is meant by integration and derivative. There are good example problems here, but a little slack on individual explanation. One can always buy a used college outline paperback for that. This book delivers the goods.

Hartog's treatment covers the fundamental aspects of mechanics in an accessible, if slightly old fashioned, way. The textbook covers statics, kinematics and basic dynamics as they are applied to machine elements and basic structures. The simplest topic is the strength of a beam, and the most complex is the gyrocompass. The textbook is valuable because it is systematic, comprehensive and well-written. The examples are old fashioned (including horse driven carts!) but valid. There is a good mix of geometrical and algebraical treatments of the topics which will be helpful to less-exeprienced students. It probably won't satisfy those with a keen interest in applied mathematics or who insist on the latest technological examples. Dover have done a fine job producing a clear and robust book at a cheap price. This is a good investement for a practical engineer.

If the first few pages scared you off it then skip it because the real stuff shall be coming soon. I came from a pure mathematical training so physics is a different animal to me. Talking about gears and cogs and wheels meant for physical mechanics is strange to me and thus is scary to start off. The real stuff comes in the vector analysis and it really begins there for me where you shall find it after skipping a few pages in the introduction. There is a lot of goodies in here for the mathematically minded person. Don't be afraid of Physics like me but stay calm with the mathematics you know already...stay tuned! The rest is pure enjoyment!

Well written, well edited, well ebooked, Probably not good for somebody who's teaching themselves physics (unless they are really smart and have good math background). I'm trying to get myself back up to speed on orbital mechanics.

Still can't determine potential energy versus kinetic energy...then again I just flew inside Rigel copied its mass and energy flew back to earth and inserted a smaller (relatively speaking size matters not so same size version) version of it into a Oreo and dunked it into infinity and injested it into a matrix of carbon 13 receptors in my gut. But I'm not a quantum mechanic so I don't know squat. Troll says...?

This is a great layman book about Mechanics. It doesn't delve too much into the mathematics, besides some clear examples and basic explanations. But with a previous knowledge of mechanics, this book offers many more examples than you would learn in school and offers a lot more explanations on how these devices work.

a good book for self study many illustrations which helf to understand the subjects.the illustrations are not very clear enough and i make some effort to understand them.

Brilliant !!!!

Un testo che ha una impostazione molto orientata ai casi che un progettista può incontrare sul suo percorso professionale, tanti esempi che consolidano i principi teorici trattati.

Good book

Este es un excelente libro, el contenido se expone claramente, lo único malo es que no se acopla a la perfección con los programas de estudios, más que nada en cuanto al orden en que se exponen los temas. Si sabes inglés puedes comprar este libro que te puede servir para cursos separados de estática y dinámica y te ahorras bastante dinero.

Good boob for good price