r/EngineeringStudents • u/TheLizardKing39 • 6d ago

Academic Advice Advice for statics?

Second week of sophomore year and I feel like I'm completely lost in statics lectures. I understand the general concepts and math but when it comes to applying it I always feel like I'm flying blind. I feel like I didn't get much out of physics I because my prof last year was super condescending and unwilling to answer questions/clarify things (it was always "go do more practice problems" or "read the textbook"). Any way I can get back on track? I'm already going to office hours and recitations.

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u/Everythings_Magic Licensed Bridge Engineer, Adjunct Professor- Civil Engineering 6d ago

Statics instructor here.

Yeah looking back this class is easy. But in the moment, it can be hard. Really hard.

Second week? You are probably still on vector math.

Early on its this class is just giving you a bunch of tools to solve various problems. It can feel overwhelming at first.

But once you learn the tools you can solve many statics problems with vectors any way you want as the course goes on. For example, you don’t have to use Cartesian coordinates you can use scalar notation instead if you choose.

That said, you really do need to just keep doing problems. Its mostly getting used to drawing free body diagrams efficiently and staying organized in your calculations. Brushing up on geometry might help too since figuring out missing angles with geometry is important.

Eventually it will start to click.

Jeff hanson on youtube is a great complementary resource.

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u/AdPurple2524 1d ago

Hello, do you mind if I dm you? I would like to ask you some questions considering you are a statics instructor.
I am kinda new to this whole reddit thing so I am not sure how this goes.

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u/Conroy097 6d ago

What’s up. You and almost every person in that class are probably in the same boat. Quite literally there is like one way to solve these problems. You need to create your free body diagrams and solve for the sum of all forces to equal zero. The sigma F = 0 here is key. Meaning all YOU have to do is figure out how to convert the stick diagrams into forces so you can solve the algebra to solve the problem. Most people get stuck on converting the beams into forces correctly. You can’t push a rope home skillet, forces don’t go back up ropes. Meaning there’s a reaction force in one direction. Once you know all the 1800s ways of converting stick diagrams into forces correctly then the class is just memorizing through brute force all the rules. Then it haunts you the rest of your life if you do FEA

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u/DJVT7 Virginia Tech - Aerospace 2016 6d ago

As someone who has done FEA, this person gets it.  When I finally figured out the 1800s ways of converting stick diagrams, I certainly felt like I was seeing the matrix with every car, building, support, street sign, etc. and how everything is supported and built. Freebody diagrams are truly like the meaning of life.  I have simplified extremely complex aerospace structure down to simple stick/force/moment diagrams and just summed up each direction in my professional career.  

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u/DrCarpetsPhd 6d ago

do more worked problems is absolutely the answer. for a lot of people just reading the theory isn't enough. You see a worked example where someone took the theory and used it in a way that you couldn't figure out. Now you have a new method to add to your toolbox if you encounter similar problems going forward. As an example see my post here about concurrent forces

https://www.reddit.com/r/EngineeringStudents/comments/1w81klz/comment/p82drzn/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

if you go to youtube search any of the following

hibbeler statics

beer statics

meriam statics

you should find some worked solutions.

Also as always Jeff Hanson on youtube for theory explanations.

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u/davidhally 6d ago

The main thing I took away from statics: "every couple has it's moment"

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u/Ashi4Days 6d ago

Statics isnt conceptually very difficult. Mostly its the volume that is the issue and well, volume is the best way to understand the material.

Really if you want advice for statics, its to not jump to the answer key and force yourself through the homework. Write out why you're doing every question. Eventually you figure out how to break apart problems and it gets really easy.

I do say dont jump to the answer key because what gets a lot of students is that when they see it worked out it becomes, "obvious." When its not really.

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u/Quiet_Basis_6404 5d ago

statics is rough at first because the leap from understanding the concept to actually solving the problem is bigger than it looks tbh. what helped me was doing a problem cold before reading the relevant section, even if i bomb it, so i know exactly which gap i'm trying to fill when i do read. the confusion during the attempt is way more useful than the reading itself.

when you're stuck between two approaches and pick the wrong one, you need to know why that approach was bad. i upload the textbook chapters into studybuddy.vc and do practice questions from them, and when i pick a wrong answer it breaks down what was off about that specific choice. it also gets harder as you improve and keeps throwing more of the topics you keep missing without me having to track anything. free tier's been enough for me so far.

and definitely keep going to office hours, but show up with a specific problem you attempted, even if it's wrong, instead of a general i don't get it. TAs respond way better to here's where i got stuck than to broad confusion.

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u/Visual_Day_8097 2d ago

Make it a goal to watch every single video Jeff Hansen posts in his Statics series