# Tagged Questions

Continuum mechanics is a branch of mechanics that deals with the analysis of the kinematics and the mechanical behavior of materials modeled as a continuous mass rather than as discrete particles.

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1answer
76 views

### Why is this thought experiment flawed: A vast lever rotating faster than the speed of light [duplicate]

If there were a vast lever floating in free space, a rigid body with length greater than the width of a galaxy, made of a hypothetical material that could endure unlimited internal stress, and this ...
3answers
82 views

### Why is the (nonrelativistic) stress tensor linear and symmetric?

From wikipedia: "...the stress vector $T$ across a surface will always be a linear function of the surface's normal vector $n$, the unit-length vector that is perpendicular to it. ...The linear ...
1answer
91 views

### What is Relativistic Navier-Stokes Equation Through Einstein Notation?

Navier-Stokes equation is non-relativistic, what is relativistic Navier-Stokes equation through Einstein notation?
0answers
93 views

### 2-D Turbulence - how does it look like?

Consider parallel flow in the X direction over a 2D semi infinite flat plate. If turbulence is 2-D, in which axes should we expect the vortices to form. Also, are there any experimental/visualization ...
3answers
73 views

### Hooke's law limitation question

Let's consider a spring. I am a strong man(well, lets assume) and I am pulling the spring. the work I do is being stored in the spring in the form of its elastic potential energy. Then suddenly, ...
1answer
49 views

### Equivalence of turbulence in solid materials

The governing equations for a fluid and a solid are effectively the same and many times analysis can be done for a solid using the Navier-Stokes equations with the equation of state and/or the stress ...
1answer
42 views

### References on wave solutions in continuum mechanics [closed]

I am interested in literature on known wave solutions in continnum mechanics, precisely the following mechanical equation: $$\rho\partial_t^2u_i = C_{ijkl}\nabla_j\nabla_ku_{l}$$ My interest is spread ...
1answer
89 views

### Dispersion relation in continuum mechanics

I'm looking at the vibration of a solid having a lattice structure, they obey the following equation: $$\rho\partial_t^2u_i = C_{ijkl}\nabla_j\nabla_ku_{l}$$ with $u(\vec{x},t)$ the displacement to ...
1answer
100 views

### Normal modes of a flexible rod clamped at only one point

I am interested in the vibrations of a thin, flexible rod that would only be clamped at one point, properly I'd like to calculate its eigenvalue. But the way I learned it in wave mechanics doesn't ...
1answer
428 views

### Calculation of a bending moment

I'd like to calculate the bending moment of a cantilever, fixed at its base, and submitted to a certain stress on a specific spot, but I can't find the proper definition of this bending moment (first ...
2answers
89 views

### How local is the stress tensor?

I am confused by the definition of the stress tensor in a crystal (let's say a semi-conductor), I don't see how it could be "more local" than over an unit cell. I know that in field theory the stress ...
0answers
150 views

### How to solve fixed-fixed beam with finite difference method?

What equations to use on this system to form a matrix $A$ with dimensions $[n,n]$ and load vector $q$ with dimension $[n]$ ? I am trying to get vertical displacement $w$. $$w = A^{-1}\times q$$ ...
0answers
50 views

### Continuum mechanics and effects of stress

Going to word this question a bit more straightforward than I may have before. Also, I'm trying to use baby formulas so I can grasp exactly what's going on. Object A has an elasticity of ...
2answers
181 views

### Shape of wall's deformation wave caused by baseball's impact

Clicking through this year's top sports pictures, I stumbled upon this one. I was wondering about the shape the baseball is leaving on the wall. What phenomenon causes this peculiar shape? Why is ...
1answer
112 views

### (Botanical) branch bending under gravity

I'm a PhD student in maths, and attended my last physics class some 15 years ago, so you can imagine my competences in the field. My supervisor (also not a mechanist) cant tell me how to proceed ...
3answers
418 views

### Why are Navier-Stokes equations needed?

Can't we picture air or water molecules individually? Then, why are Navier-Stokes equations needed, after all? Can't we just aggregate individual ones? Or is it computationally difficult, or ...
1answer
98 views

### How wide does a wall of ice need to be to stay in place?

Let us say that we have unlimited manpower to construct a huge wall of water ice e.g. 200 m tall (700 feet). -and that the wall is placed in a climate, where the temperature never (for your purpose) ...
1answer
170 views

### A differential equation of Buckling Rod

I tried to solve a differential equation, but unfortunately got stuck at some point. The problem is to solve the diff. eq. of hard clamped on both ends rod. And the force compresses the rod at both ...
1answer
160 views

### What is the two dimensional equivalent of a spring?

I'm trying to model isotropic linear elastic deformation in two dimensions. In one dimension, I know that a linear elastic material can be thought of as a spring which obeys Hooke's law \$F=-k\Delta ...
1answer
191 views

### Tensors: relations between physics and linear algebra

In continuum mechanics we use finite deformation tensors to exprime deformations in a point. The 9 components of the tensor (in reality 6 because of its symmetry) are defined as  ...
1answer
64 views

### Difference between using displacement and current configuration as unknown?

We could use either the current configuration $x$ or the displacement $u$ as unknown while solving for the deformation, for example, of a solid object. I want to know what's the difference between ...
1answer
110 views

### Decomposition of deformation into bend, stretch and twist?

I'm wondering is there any way to decompose the deformation of an object into different components? For example, into stretching, bending and twisting part respectively? The decomposition could be ...
2answers
91 views

### A problem of approximation [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Why are continuum fluid mechanics accurate when constituents are discrete objects of finite size? When we apply differentiation on charge being conducted with respect to ...
1answer
359 views

### Continuity equation for compressible fluid

A question is given as Consider a fluid of density $\rho(x, y, z, t)$ which moves with velocity $v(x, y, z, t)$ without sources or sink. Show that \$ \nabla \cdot \vec J + \frac{\partial \rho ...
1answer
398 views

### A conceptual problem with Euler-Bernoulli beam theory and Euler buckling

Euler-Bernoulli beam theory states that in static conditions the deflection $w(x)$ of a beam relative to its axis $x$ satisfies $$EI\frac{\partial^4}{\partial x^4}w(x)=q(x)\ \ \ \ (1)$$ where $E$ is ...
1answer
215 views

### Boundary conditions of Navier-Cauchy equation

I'm having difficulties with Neumann boundary conditions in Navier-Cauchy equations (a.k.a. the elastostatic equations). The trouble is that if I rotate a body then Neumann boundary condition should ...
0answers
345 views

### Interpretation of Stiffness Matrix and Mass Matrix in Finite Element Method

I would like to have a general interpretation of the coefficients of the stiffness matrix that appears in FEM. For instance if we are solving a linear elasticity problem and we modelize the relation ...
0answers
61 views

### Can a wave propagate in an elastic fluid in the absence of volume forces?

A motion (wave) $\mathbf{x}: \mathcal{B}_0 \times [t_0,t_1] \to \mathcal{E}:$ such that $q-o = \mathbf{x}(p,t)=(p-o)+\mathbf{a}_0 cos(\mathbf{k}_0\cdot(p-o) - \omega_0 t)$ can propagate in an elastic ...
0answers
69 views

### Physics for taffy pulling?

I am creating a simulation and am interested in pulling stretchy things and when they break, like taffy. I imagine this is a bit tougher then a simple equation like gravity, but I have no idea. Is ...
2answers
300 views

### Why are continuum fluid mechanics accurate when constituents are discrete objects of finite size?

Suppose we view fluids classically, i.e., as a collection of molecules (with some finite size) interacting via e&m and gravitational forces. Presumably we model fluids as continuous objects that ...
2answers
729 views

### Calculation of the maximum load to the bar

Looking for a way of calculating the maximum weight (W) to the rod with the given length (L) where the rod did not break and that only bend for (b) mm. Need only approximative solution (read: ...
1answer
55 views

### what is a difference in the width of the spinning bar?

The bar with length l, density r, diametr d, Young's modulus E, Poisson's ratio mu, is spinning around the cross-section, what is the change in the width of this bar?
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141 views

### Does a thermally expanding torus experience internal stress?

I'm trying to learn continuum mechanics and thermo-mechanics. As we know, heating an object increases the mean atomic distance $a_0$ of the atoms in a rigid body. Let's assume it is a linear elastic ...
1answer
257 views

### Explain $\rho_{0}\dot{e} - \bf{P}^{T} : \bf{\dot{F}}+\nabla_{0} \cdot \bf{q} -\rho_{0}S = 0$

I am trying to understand the balance of energy -law from continuum mechanics, fourth law here. Could someone break this a bit to help me understand it? From chemistry, I can recall dU = \partial Q ...
1answer
116 views

### In continuum mechanics, what is work potential in the context of total potential energy?

I'm reading a book on the finite element method. Specifically I'm looking at the background material where they are discussing potential energy, equilibrium, and the Rayleigh-Ritz method. The book ...
3answers
277 views

### 2d soft body physics mathematics [duplicate]

Possible Duplicates: Modern references for continuum mechanics Good books on elasticity The definition of rigid body in Box2d is A chunk of matter that is so strong that the distance ...
0answers
52 views

### stress work of uniformly deforming continuum

I have a volume which is deforming (using explicit time-integration scheme) uniformly with velocity gradient $L$ and stress tensor $\sigma$. I would like to determine work done by the volume ...
2answers
558 views

### Calculate the weight a simple plank can support

I'd like to build a simple desk; just a single plank of wood (or a few side-by-side) with solid supports on each end of the desk. What I'm trying to figure out is how thick a plank I want to use for ...
1answer
218 views

### Can we have non continuous models of reality? Why don't we have them?

This question is about Godel's theorem, continuity of reality and the Luvenheim-Skolem theorem. I know that all leading physical theories assume reality is continuous. These are my questions: 1) Is ...
2answers
621 views

### Good books on elasticity

Can someone suggest good books/textbooks/treatises/etc on elasticity? Thanks.
1answer
738 views

### water flow in a sink

When one turns on the tap in the kitchen, a circle is observable in the water flowing in the sink. The circle is the boundary between laminar and turbulent flow of the water (maybe this is the wrong ...
2answers
741 views

### Stress tensor in a cube with shear forces

I want to calculate stress matrix in a cube with two faces parallel to x axis and perpendicular to z axis (sorry I don't know how can I put a picture in this post). There are two force uniform ...
7answers
920 views

### Rotate a long bar in space and get close to (or even beyond) the speed of light $c$

Imagine a bar spinning like a helicopter propeller, At $\omega$ rad/s because the extremes of the bar goes at speed $$V = \omega * r$$ then we can reach near $c$ (speed of light) applying some ...
8answers
824 views

### Modern references for continuum mechanics

I'm wondering what some standard, modern references might be for continuum mechanics. I imagine most references are probably more used by mechanical engineers than physicists but it's still a ...
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