Mechanics

By J.P. Den Hartog

Book Overview

First published over 40 years ago, this work has achieved the status of a classic among introductory texts on mechanics. Den Hartog is known for his lively, discursive and often witty presentations of all the fundamental material of both statics and dynamics (and considerable more advanced material) in new, original ways that provide students with insights into mechanical relationships that other books do not always succeed in conveying. On the other hand, the work is so replete with engineering applications and actual design problems that it is as valuable as a reference to the practicing engineer as it is as a text or refresher for the general engineering student.
Mechanics is not a "heavy" book, despite the amount of material it covers and the clarity and exactness with which it treats this material. It is undoubtedly one of the most readable texts in the field. More than 550 drawings and diagrams in the regular text and in the highly praised 112-page section of problems and answers further contribute to its lucidity and value. The emphasis is consistently on illuminating fundamental principles and in showing how they are embodied in a high number of real engineering and design problems concerning trusses, loaded cables, beams, jacks, hoists, brakes, cantilevers, springs, balances, pendulums, projectiles, cranks, linkages, propellers, turbines, fly ball engine governors, hydraulic couplings, anti-roll devices, gyroscopes, and hundreds of other mechanical systems and devices.
Chapters cover Discrete Coplanar Forces, Conditions of Equilibrium, Distributed Forces, Trusses and Cables, Beams, Friction, Space Forces, The Method of Work, Kinematics of a Point, Dynamics of a Particle, Kinematics of Plane Motion, Moments of Inertia, Dynamics of Plane Motion, Work and Energy, Impulse and Momentum, Relative Motion, and Gyroscopes. Particularly in the last two chapters, Den Hartog provides advanced material not usual in introductory texts. "Very thoroughly recommended to all those anxious to improve their real understanding of the principles of mechanics." -- Mechanical World.
Index. List of equations. 334 problems, all with answers. Over 550 diagrams and drawings.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486607542
• ISBN13: 9780486607542
• Release Date: June 1961
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 1.19 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.4" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Classical Mechanics in a classic style

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.

Good supplement to your textbook on the subject

If you have Beer & Johnson's textbooks on either the subject of statics or dynamics you already have a great (and expensive) text. This one is inexpensive with great exercises, and a very affordable self-study text. The one problem with it is that, like many Dover books, it was written decades ago and the language is therefore somewhat archaic and can be harder to read than modern texts. However, the diagrams are excellent and the problems are very good. The answers to the problems are in the back of the book, plus several people on the web have set about publishing detailed solutions to the problems Hartog's book since the problems do tend to be excellent and well thought out. I highly recommend it as a supplement, but I wouldn't recommend it as your main source of learning the subject of engineering mechanics.

Still a Useful Text on the Basics of Advanced Mechanical Physics

This classic text on the basics of mechanical engineering is still worthy reading ,even close to sixty years after its first publication.It's a great resourse for developing and securing your understanding of the established principles of mechanical properties in nature.Anyone,who is searching for excellent proto-examples of mechanical engineering ,can still rely on this text to supplement one's grasp of dynamics,statics and kinematics.A total of seventeen chapters presented.Plus corresponding problems with an answer key provided.The only drawback with this text is that it may seem dated.Yet,it's still a reliable study-resource for people concerned with aspects of mechanical technology.

great book

One of the best, buy it for the problem set, if not for the great text.