continuum mechanics

do you perhaps mean 'quantum' mechanics? If not, it sounds like fun, much more so than the start/stop mechanics.

You probably mean quantum mechanics which is the study of the relationship between energy and matter. I find it to be a very interesting subject. It would be extremely useful if you were to be involved with producing new electronic parts, for instance. I haven't heard of continuum mechanics, but if that is correct, it sounds very interesting as well, so go for it!

Very good, very clear, very practical.

Could anyone tell me about constitutive equations from continuum mechanics that give you deformation versus load for viscoelastic materials_

For instance, I find continuum mechanics very useful to understand the mechanics of elastic contacts, how materials deform and up to which extent when they are pressed against each other. Continuum theories have demonstrated to be valid even for nanocontacts, formed by only a few atoms.

"It sounds pretty fun, but I don't know if it is that useful for later."

I think you probably have all the answer you need already, but I would like to add this: if it sounds like fun (and you have room in your schedule for an elective) then it really doesn't matter if it'll be useful later, it'll be a relief NOW. One of the things we tend to de-emphasize to our detriment is the need for things in our schedules that are FUN.

I found tensors and elasticity to be beastly and painful. Your mileage may vary.

"I found tensors and elasticity to be beastly and painful."

While in high school, I played a bit of football. Defense was pretty easy, Fight Pressure. If someone didn't want you to be someplace, then it is pretty likely that it was a place where you wanted to be. Same in Chess. Put yourself in a good position and that is likely to turn out to your advantage.

These lessons came back as I studied Mathematics and Physics - if something was initially "beastly and painful", I attacked it like a tiger, and it usually turned out to be very useful in my ensuing studies. Powerful and uniquely useful tools are rarely easy to learn, not out of some sense of perversity, but simply because everyone knows the easy stuff! Your advantage is in mastering the difficult but useful techniques.

Socrates defined satisfaction as undertaking a difficult task and accomplishing it. Fun is in the eye of the beholder. Mastering the techniques of Continuum Mechanics may not be exactly fun along the way, but will certainly be satisfying and useful.

Hi Guest,

In my day continuum mechanics was split into 'Solid mechanics' and 'Fluid mechanics'

As other posters have noted, there is a fair amount of maths involved (which I hated), but the insight and understanding of the world around you that you will gain from such courses will be invaluable. Definitely you should take the course!