Topic: Mechanics of Materials
The deflection of an elastic member at the point of application of a force in the direction of that force is given by the derivative of member's total strain energy taken with respect to the applied force. This is known as
- A. Principle of conservation of strain energy
- B. Castigliano's theorem
- C. Conservation of momentum
- D. Saint-Venant's Principle
Answer: B. Castigliano's theorem
Explanation: This is the statement of Castigliano's first theorem, which relates the partial derivative of strain energy with respect to a force to the displacement at the point of application of that force.