Force (Mechanical Design)

In engineering mechanics, force is any interaction that causes a change in the motion of an object or induces stress within a material. Defined by Newton’s Second Law, force is the product of mass and acceleration (F=ma), meaning it is responsible for initiating movement or resisting motion in physical systems. Forces can act through direct contact, such as pushing or pulling, or at a distance, such as gravitational or electromagnetic forces. In mechanical design, forces are crucial in determining how structures and components respond to loads, influencing stress, strain, and ultimately failure modes.