mechanics

6 articles · All tags

• How Zippers Work: Teeth, Slider and Interlocking Chain
  A zipper closes when a sliding wedge presses two rows of teeth together so each tooth locks into the gap opposite. Here is how the slider and teeth work.
• How Hydraulics Work: Pascal's Principle Explained
  Pascal's principle says pressure applied to a confined liquid passes equally in all directions, so a small piston can produce a much larger force on a bigger one.
• Why Curveballs Curve: The Magnus Effect Explained
  The Magnus effect is the sideways or vertical force a spinning ball feels in air, and it is why a curveball bends and a backspun fastball falls less than expected.
• Newton's Laws of Motion
  The three laws of classical mechanics — inertia, F = ma, and action–reaction — that form the basis of classical physics.
• Stress and Strain
  The two fundamental measures of how materials respond to loads: force per unit area and fractional deformation.
• Structural Loads and Beam Bending
  How engineers classify loads, and how bending moment and deflection are computed for beams — the backbone of structural design.