Engineering Analysis: Dynamics

Course Description

EGN3321 – Engineering Analysis: Dynamics is a 3-credit upper-division lecture course in the Engineering: General taxonomy of Florida's Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS). The course presents the analysis of particles and rigid bodies in motion using a vector approach. Students learn the kinematics of particles and rigid bodies, the kinetics of motion using Newton's second law, and the principles of work and energy and impulse and momentum. The course completes the engineering mechanics sequence that began with statics and provides the analytical foundation for vibrations, machine design, vehicle dynamics, robotics, and many other upper-division engineering subjects.

EGN3321 is offered at Florida public universities (FIU, USF, UCF, FAU, Florida Polytechnic, UNF, and others) and is a required course in all mechanical, civil, aerospace, and biomedical engineering programs. It articulates with the lower-division equivalent EGN2322 – Engineering Analysis: Dynamics taught at Florida State Colleges, providing a common pathway for students transferring through the engineering A.A. transfer track. Some institutions title this course "Engineering Analysis – Dynamics" or simply "Dynamics."

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Apply principles of kinematics to describe rectilinear and curvilinear motion of particles, including position, velocity, and acceleration relationships.
• Analyze particle motion in rectangular, normal-tangential, cylindrical, and polar coordinate systems.
• Apply Newton's second law to determine forces and accelerations in particle motion, using free-body and kinetic diagrams.
• Apply work-energy principles to particle motion, including conservative and non-conservative forces, kinetic energy, and potential energy.
• Apply impulse-momentum principles to particles, including the analysis of impacts and collisions (elastic, inelastic, and oblique).
• Apply principles of angular momentum to particle systems.
• Analyze the kinematics of rigid bodies in plane motion, including translation, rotation about a fixed axis, and general plane motion using instantaneous centers and relative-motion methods.
• Apply kinetics of rigid bodies in plane motion, including force-mass-acceleration analysis with appropriate mass moments of inertia.
• Apply work-energy and impulse-momentum methods to rigid-body plane motion.

Optional Outcomes

Depending on institutional emphasis, students may also:

• Apply principles of three-dimensional kinematics and kinetics of rigid bodies.
• Analyze mechanical vibrations, including undamped and damped free vibrations of single-degree-of-freedom systems.
• Use computational tools (MATLAB, Python, or Mathcad) to solve dynamic systems numerically.
• Apply Lagrangian or energy methods as alternative formulations for dynamic systems.
• Analyze dependent motion of connected particles using cable and pulley systems.

Major Topics

Required Topics

• Kinematics of a Particle: Rectilinear motion (constant and variable acceleration); curvilinear motion in rectangular, normal-tangential, and cylindrical/polar coordinates; relative motion analysis.
• Kinetics of a Particle: Force and Acceleration: Newton's second law; equations of motion in various coordinate systems; central force motion.
• Kinetics of a Particle: Work and Energy: Work of constant and variable forces; principle of work and energy; conservative forces and conservation of energy; power and efficiency.
• Kinetics of a Particle: Impulse and Momentum: Linear impulse and momentum; conservation of linear momentum; impact (central and oblique, elastic and inelastic); angular impulse and momentum.
• Planar Kinematics of Rigid Bodies: Translation, rotation about a fixed axis, general plane motion; relative-velocity and relative-acceleration analyses; instantaneous center of zero velocity; rotating reference frames.
• Planar Kinetics of Rigid Bodies: Force and Acceleration: Mass moment of inertia; equations of motion for translation, rotation, and general plane motion; D'Alembert force-couple equivalents.
• Planar Kinetics of Rigid Bodies: Work and Energy: Kinetic energy of rigid bodies; principle of work and energy applied to rigid-body motion.
• Planar Kinetics of Rigid Bodies: Impulse and Momentum: Linear and angular momentum of rigid bodies; conservation of momentum; eccentric impact.

Optional Topics

• Three-Dimensional Kinematics and Kinetics of Rigid Bodies: Spatial motion; gyroscopic effects; Euler equations.
• Mechanical Vibrations: Free undamped and damped vibrations; forced vibrations; resonance; introduction to vibration analysis.
• Lagrangian Dynamics: Generalized coordinates; Lagrange's equations as an alternative to Newtonian formulation.
• Computational Dynamics: Numerical integration of equations of motion in MATLAB or Python; simulation of dynamic systems.
• Variable-Mass Systems: Rocket propulsion and other variable-mass applications.

Resources & Tools

• Standard Textbooks: Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics by R.C. Hibbeler (most widely adopted in Florida); Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Dynamics by Beer, Johnston, Mazurek, Cornwell, and Self; Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics by Meriam, Kraige, and Bolton
• Online Homework Platforms: Pearson Mastering Engineering; McGraw-Hill Connect (with e-text access)
• Calculation Tools: Scientific or graphing calculator with vector/matrix capability (TI-89, TI-Nspire CX CAS, or equivalent)
• Computational Tools: MATLAB or Python for numerical integration of equations of motion; Mathcad for engineering calculations with units
• Visualization Resources: Animations and simulations of rigid-body motion (e.g., MIT OpenCourseWare; Working Model 2D)

Career Pathways

EGN3321 provides essential analytical preparation for engineering disciplines that involve motion, mechanisms, and time-varying systems. Successful completion supports progression into the following:

• Mechanical Engineering – Foundation for machine design, kinematics of mechanisms, vehicle dynamics, robotics, and mechanical vibrations.
• Aerospace Engineering – Foundation for orbital mechanics, flight dynamics, propulsion, and launch vehicle analysis — directly relevant to Florida's Space Coast aerospace industry (Kennedy Space Center, SpaceX, Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin Space).
• Civil Engineering – Foundation for structural dynamics, earthquake engineering, and transportation engineering.
• Biomedical Engineering – Foundation for human movement analysis, gait analysis, and the design of orthopedic and rehabilitation devices.
• Industrial and Robotics Engineering – Foundation for the analysis of automated systems, manipulators, and motion control.
• Defense and Maritime Industries – Foundation for the analysis of vehicles, projectiles, and naval systems supporting Florida's defense contractor base.

Special Information

Articulation with EGN2322

EGN3321 is articulated as equivalent to EGN2322 – Engineering Analysis: Dynamics taught at Florida State Colleges. Students who complete EGN2322 with a satisfactory grade typically receive transfer credit for EGN3321 at receiving universities. The two courses share substantially identical learning outcomes, problem types, and textbooks; the principal difference is the institutional setting. Students should verify articulation through the Florida SCNS or the receiving institution's transfer office.

FE Examination Preparation

Dynamics is a major topic area on the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination. Mastery of kinematics, Newton's second law, and energy/momentum methods developed in EGN3321 directly supports FE preparation. The FE is the first step toward Professional Engineer (P.E.) licensure in Florida.

Prerequisite Course Sequence

EGN3321 is preceded by EGN3311 – Statics (or its lower-division equivalent EGN2312) and typically requires MAC 2313 – Calculus III. Strong proficiency in vector algebra, calculus (including differential equations basics), and statics is essential. Many programs also require or co-require MAP 2302 – Differential Equations, particularly for institutions that include the optional vibrations content.

Foundation for Upper-Division Coursework

EGN3321 is the prerequisite or prepares students for upper-division courses including machine design, mechanical vibrations, system dynamics and control, fluid mechanics, orbital mechanics, biomechanics, and finite element analysis.