This book is a simplified version of the author's book, An Introduction to Continuum Mechanics with Applications, published by Cambridge University Press (New York, 2008), intended for use as an undergraduate textbook. As most modern technologies are no longer discipline-specific but involve multidisciplinary approaches, undergraduate engineering students should be educated to think and work in such environments. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce the subject of principles of mechanics (i.e., laws of physics applied to science and engineering systems) to undergraduate students so that they have a strong background in the basic principles common to all disciplines and are able to work at the interface of science and engineering disciplines. A first course on principles of mechanics provides an introduction to the basic concepts of stress and strain and conservation principles and prepares engineers and scientists for advanced courses in traditional as well as emerging fields such as biotechnology, nanotechnology, energy systems, and computational mechanics. Undergraduate students with such a background may seek advanced degrees in traditional (e.g., aerospace, civil, electrical or mechanical engineering; physics; applied mathematics) as well as interdisciplinary (e.g., bioengineering, engineering physics, nanoscience and engineering, biomolecular engineering) degree programs.

There are not many books on principles of mechanics that are written that keep the undergraduate engineering or science student in mind.