Book excerpt: Introduction to Bond Graphs and Their Applications is an introductory text on bond graphs and their applications in the field of engineering. The applications of bond graphs in mechanical engineering and design, fluid mechanics, electronic data processing, and thermal and thermodynamic systems are discussed. This book is comprised of eight chapters and begins by comparing the different kinds of graphs, diagrams, and models before turning to the fundamentals of bond graphs. The next chapter introduces the reader to the systematic application of bond graphs in mechanical engineering and design; fluid power engineering (sometimes called oil hydraulics); electrotechnique and electronics; and thermodynamics. The use of bond graphs in automatic computer programming with the ENPORT program is also described. The final chapter is devoted to inertia and resistance fields; linear two-ports in different causalities; thermodynamics of flow processes; electromechanical components; systems with distributed parameters; and force and velocity as effort or flow. This monograph is intended primarily for all engineers interested in representing simple or complex engineering systems and should also be of value to students in the different engineering disciplines, mechanics, fluid mechanics, and electronics with electromechanical power conversion or thermodynamics.