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continuum mechanics
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Figure 1: The position vector x and the velocity vector v of a material point, the body force fdV acting on an element dV of volume, and the surface force TdS acting on an element dS of surface in a Cartesian coordinate system 1, 2, 3 (see text).
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Italian physicist Guglielmo Marconi at work in the wireless room of his yacht Electra, c. 1920.
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continuum mechanics

physics
Also known as: c-number theory, classical field theory, continuum physics, mechanics of deformable media(Show More)
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Figure 1: The position vector x and the velocity vector v of a material point, the body force fdV acting on an element dV of volume, and the surface force TdS acting on an element dS of surface in a Cartesian coordinate system 1, 2, 3 (see text).
Figure 1: The position vector x and the velocity vector v of a material point, the body force fdV acting on an element dV of volume, and the surface force TdS acting on an element dS of surface in a Cartesian coordinate system 1, 2, 3 (see text).

Continuum mechanics is a branch of physics that deals with the mechanical behavior of materials modeled as a continuous mass, rather than as discrete particles. It focuses on macroscopic properties and ignores the material's atomic structure.123

The core principles of continuum mechanics involve:
* Equations of Motion: Based on Newton's laws, these describe the conservation of linear and angular momentum for bodies.123
* Geometry of Deformation: This involves understanding how materials change shape, described by strains, which are derived from displacement fields.123
* Stress-Strain Relations: These define the relationship between the forces applied to a material (stress) and its resulting deformation (strain), which are unique to each material.123

Continuum mechanics is essential for analyzing the behavior of solids and fluids under various conditions, from simple elastic deformation to more complex phenomena like diffusion and the influence of electromagnetic fields.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
3 Britannica Sources
  1. mechanics of solids - Small-strain tensor
  2. mechanics of solids - Equations of motion
  3. mechanics of solids - Anisotropy

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