16

Chapter 2
The third law introduces us to the basic concept of force. It
states that whenever a body A exerts a force on another
body B, body B will resist with an equal magnitude but in
the opposite direction.

Figure 2.2 Ground resistance on a building.

For example, if a building with a weight W is placed on

the ground, we can say that the building is exerting a
downward force of W on the ground. However, for the
building to remain stable on the resisting ground surface
without sinking completely, the ground must resist with
an upward force of equal magnitude. If the ground resisted with a force less than W, where R < W, the building
would settle. On the other hand, if the ground exerted an
upward force greater than W (R > W ), the building would
rise (levitate) (Figure 2.2).

Characteristics of a Force
A force is characterized by its (a) point of application,
(b) magnitude, and (c) direction.
The point of application defines the point where the force is
applied. In statics, the point of application does not imply
the exact molecule on which a force is applied but a location
that, in general, describes the origin of a force (Figure 2.3).

Figure 2.3 Rope pulling on an eyebolt.

Figure 2.4(a) An anchor device with three applied forces.

In the study of forces and force systems, the word particle

will be used, and it should be considered as the location or
point where the forces are acting. Here, the size and shape
of the body under consideration will not affect the solution. For example, if we consider the anchor bracket
shown in Figure 2.4(a), three forcesFl, F2, and F3are
applied. The intersection of these three forces occurs at
point O; therefore, for all practical purposes, we can represent the same system as three forces applied on particle O,
as shown in Figure 2.4(b).
Magnitude refers to the quantity of force, a numerical
measure of the intensity. Basic units of force that will be
used throughout this text are the pound (lb. or #) and the
kilo pound (kip or k = 1,000#). In metric (SI) units, force
is expressed as the newton (N) or kilonewton (kN) where
1 kN = 1,000 N.
The direction of a force is defined by its line of action and
sense. The line of action represents an infinite straight line
along which the force is acting.
In Figure 2.5, the external effects on the box are essentially
the same whether the person uses a short or long cable,
provided the pull exerted is along the same line of action
and of equal magnitude.

Figure 2.4(b) Force diagram of the anchor.

If a force is applied such that the line of action is neither

vertical nor horizontal, some reference system must be established. Most commonly accepted is the angular symbol
of (theta) or (phi) to denote the number of degrees the
line of action of the force is in relation to the horizontal or
vertical axis, respectively. Only one ( or ) needs to be