1.What Is The Finite Element Method (FEM)?

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The FEM is a novel numerical method used to solve ordinary and partial differential equations.

2.What is discretization?

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The process of dividing the body into an equivalent number of finite elements associated with nodes is called as discretization of an element in finite element analysis.

3.What are the applications of FEM?

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1. Structural analysis (Stresses and strain, deflections, bending moments, etc.)
2. Vibration analysis (natural frequencies, resonant frequencies, etc.)
3. Thermal analysis (Temperature values, heat flow, thermal stresses in critical areas))
4. Electrical circuits (charge, current, velocity, power, etc.)
5. Fluid analysis (Pressure, velocity, discharge, etc.)
6. Nuclear energy
7. Non-linear analysis (buckling, failure, yielding, etc.)

4. Advantages of FEM

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   1. Modeling of complex geometries and irregular shapes are easier as varieties of finite elements are available for discretization of domain.
   2. Boundary conditions can be easily incorporated in FEM.
   3. Different types of material properties can be easily accommodated in modeling from element to element or even within an element.
   4. Higher order elements may be implemented.
   5. FEM is simple, compact and result-oriented and hence widely popular among engineering community.
   6. Availability of large number of computer software packages and literature makes FEM a versatile and powerful numerical method.

5.What are the different numerical methods used to find solution of differential equation?

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Galerkin, Collocation, Least square, Rayleigh-Ritz, Sub-domain and Petrov Galerkin method.

6.What do you mean by residue?

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By using numerical method to solve a differential equation we usually get an approximate solution to the problem and not an exact one. Hence there is a small error in the solution. This error is termed as residue.

7. What method is used in FEA?

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Weak form method

8.What do you mean by weight function?

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In order to minimize the residue by we multiply the residue by a function of the independent variable and integrate the product within the boundary values and equate it to zero. This function of independent variable is known as weight function