0| Introduction

Welcome to Measurement and Dynamic Response. Modeling is where system dynamics becomes practical: you will learn why engineers build dynamic models and how those models help explain, predict, and improve real-world behavior over time. This introduction sets the stage by focusing on the purpose of system dynamics and how it is applied to real problems, then the lessons in this section guide you from a focused math and electronics review into hands-on modeling workflows using MATLAB and Mathematica. You will develop mechanical models by connecting physical components to governing equations, then move into tools that engineers use every day, including transfer functions for mechanical systems and core checks like the initial value theorem and final value theorem for interpreting transient and steady-state response. The unit broadens into electrical systems and fluid systems, with examples that map directly to sensors, actuators, and laboratory instrumentation, and it closes by shifting from input output models to state-space modeling. These skills form the foundation for later Analysis and Control topics in the course. Use the table of contents below to jump to any lesson and to track where you are in the Modeling sequence.