In this part . . .
Free-body diagrams (F.B.Ds) are a vital part of solving a statics problem, so these chapters give you a basic checklist for constructing the pictures that describe an object and the loads acting on it. You also discover how to include external applied loads, internal forces, and self weight. I introduce the different types of physical restraints (known as support reactions) and show you how to include them on your F.B.D. I then illustrate how to simplify complex free-body diagrams by moving loads from one point on an object to another while maintaining the same object's behavior.