Chapter 2

Force Vectors

F1
A

FR

F2

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Chapter 2
Force Vectors
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9

Scalars and Vectors

Vector Operations
Vector Addition of Forces
Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces
Cartesian Vectors
Addition of Cartesian Vectors
Position Vectors
Force Vector Directed Along a Line
Dot Product
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2.4 Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces

F=Fx Fy
Scalar

Fx and Fy : rectangular components

Notation
Fy F sin

For (a):

Fx F cos

For (b):

Fx F a c Fx Fa c

Fy Fb c
y

F
Fy

Fx
(a)

Ch2. Force Vectors

Fy

Fx
b c
a

(b) Slope triangle

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2.4 Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces

F=Fx Fy

Fx and Fy : rectangular components

i and j : unit vectors along x and y axes

Cartesian

Vector Notation
F=Fx i Fy j

Fx and Fy only represent magnitudes of two

components, so they are always positive
y

F
Fy

Fx
(a)

Ch2. Force Vectors

i
x

Fy
O

Fx

x
j
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2.4 Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces

Coplanar

Force Resultants
FR =F1 F2 F3

F1 =F1x i F1 y j

=F1x i F1 y j F2 x i F2 y j F3x i F3 y j

F2 = F2 x i F2 y j

=(F1x F2 x F3x ) i ( F1 y F2 y F3 y ) j

F3 =F3 x i F3 y j

=(FRx ) i ( FRy ) j
y

F1

F2

F2
x

F3

Ch2. Force Vectors

F2 y

F1y

F1
F1x

F2 x

F3x

F3 y

F3

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2.4 Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces

Coplanar

Force Resultants

FR =F1 F2 F3 =(F1x F2 x F3 x ) i ( F1 y F2 y F3 y ) j
=(FRx ) i ( FRy ) j
+)
(

FRx =F1x F2 x F3 x

(+ )

FRy =F1 y F2 y F3 y
y

F1

F2

F2
x

F3

Ch2. Force Vectors

F2 y

F1y

F1
F1x

F2 x

F3x

F3 y

F3

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2.4 Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces

Coplanar

Force Resultants

FRx =F1x F2 x F3x Fx

FRy =F1 y F2 y F3 y Fy

FR = FRx2 FRy2

arctan
y

FRy
FRx
y

F1

F2

FRy

F3

Ch2. Force Vectors

FRx

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Example 2.4
Determine the x and y components of F1 and F2 acting on
the boom shown in Fig. 2.4a. Express each force as a
Cartesian vector.
(a)

F1=200 N

x
5

13
12

F2=260 N

Fig. 2.4

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.4

Solution

Scalar Notation
1) Resolving F1 into x and y components
F1x 200sin 30 N= 100 N=100 N
F1 y 200cos30 N=173 N=173 N

Ans.
Ans.

(b)

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.4

Solution

Scalar Notation
2) Resolving F2 into x and y components
12
F2 x 260 N=240 N=240 N
13
5
F2 y 260 N= 100 N=100 N
13

Ans.
Ans.

(c)

Cartesian Vector Notation

F1 =( 100 i 173 j) N Ans.

F2 =(240 i 100 j) N

Ans.
5
F2 y 260 N
13

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.5
The link in Fig. 2.5a is subjected to two forces F1 and F2 .
Determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant
force.
(a)

Fig. 2.5

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.5

Solution I
Scalar Notation

FRx = Fx 600cos30 N 400sin45 N=236.8 N

FRy = Fy 600sin30 N 400cos45 N=582.8 N
FR = (236.8 N)2 (582.8 N)2 629 N

Ans.

arctan 582.8 236.8 67.9

Ans.

(a)

(b) (c)

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.5

Solution II
Cartesian Vector Notation

F1 =(600cos30 i 600sin30 j) N
F2 =( 400sin45 i 400cos45 j) N

FR F1 F2
=(600cos30 400sin45 ) i N (600sin30 400cos45 ) j N
=(236.8 i 582.8 j) N
(a)

(b)

Ch2. Force Vectors

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2.5 Cartesian Vectors

Right-Handed

Coordinate System
Rectangular Components for a Vector

A A A z
A A x A y
A Ax A y Az
Cartesian

Unit Vectors
z
k

y
j

Ch2. Force Vectors

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2.5 Cartesian Vectors

Cartesian

Vector Representation

A=Ax i Ay j Az k
Magnitude

of a Cartesian Vector

2
2

A= ( A ) ( Az )
2
2

A = Ax Ay

A= Ax2 Ay2 Az2

Ch2. Force Vectors

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2.5 Cartesian Vectors

Direction

of a Cartesian Vector
Direction of Cosines [0, 1800]
Ay
Az
Ax
cos
cos
cos
A
A
A
A=Ax i Ay j Az k
Ay
A Ax
Az
uA= i
j k
A A
A
A

A= Ax2 Ay2 Az2

u A =cos i cos j cos k

(cos )2 (cos )2 (cos )2 1
A=Au A Ax i Ay j Az k

Ch2. Force Vectors

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2.5 Cartesian Vectors

Direction

of a Cartesian Vector

Az =A cos

A=A sin
Ax =A cos Asin cos

Ay =A sin A sin sin

A=Au A
A sin cos i A sin sin j A cos k

Ch2. Force Vectors

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2.6 Addition of Cartesian Vectors

A Ax i Ay j Az k
B Bx i By j Bz k

R AB
( Ax Bx ) i ( Ay By ) j
( Az Bz )k

Generalization: a system of concurrent forces

FR = F Fx i Fy j Fz k

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.6
Express the force F shown in Fig. 2.6 as a Cartesian
vector.

Fig. 2.6

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.6

Solution
cos2 cos2 cos2 1

cos cos 60 cos 45 1

2

cos 1 0.52 0.5 0.5

cos1 (0.5) 60

or cos1 (0.5) 120 (Wrong)

F F cos i F cos j F cos k

(100.0 i 100.0 j 141.4k ) N Ans.

Fig. 2.6

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.7
Two forces act on the hook shown in Fig. 2.7a. Specify
the magnitude of F2 and its coordinate direction angles
of F2 that the resultant force FR acts along the positive y
axis and has a magnitude of 800 N.
(a)

Fig. 2.7

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.7

Solution
FR F1 F2

FR 800 j N

F1 (300cos45 i 300cos60 j 300cos120 k) N

(212.1i 150 j 150k ) N
F2 ( F2 x i F2 y j F2 z k ) N
800 j (212.1 F2 x ) i (150 F2 y ) j (150 F2 z )k
212.1 F2 x 0 F2 x 212.1 N

(a)

150 F2 y 0 F2 y 650 N
150 F2 z 0 F2 z 150 N

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.7

Solution
F2 x 212.1 N

F2 y 650 N

F2 z 150 N

F2 (212.1)2 (650)2 (150)2 N=700 N

Ans.

cos 2 212.1 700 2 108

Ans.

cos 2 650 700 2 21.8

Ans.

cos 2 150 700 2 77.6

Ans.

(a)

Advantage of using Cartesian vectors!

Ch2. Force Vectors

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2.7 Position Vectors

Applications: i) formulate force vector
ii) find the torque of a force
x,

y, z Coordinates
( right-handed
coordinate system)

A(4 m,2 m,-6 m)

B(6 m,-1 m,4 m)

Ch2. Force Vectors

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2.7 Position Vectors

Position

Vectors

r x i y j zk

Ch2. Force Vectors

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2.7 Position Vectors

Position

Vectors

rA r rB

or rA rAB rB

rAB rB rA ( xB i yB j zBk ) ( xA i y A j z Ak )
( xB xA ) i ( yB y A ) j ( zB z A )k

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.8
An elastic rubber band is attached to points A and B as
shown in Fig.2.8. Determine its length and its direction
measured from A toward B.

Fig. 2.8

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.8

Solution
rA (1i 3k ) m
rB (2 i 2 j 3k ) m
rAB rB rA (3i 2 j 6k ) m
rAB (3)2 22 62 m =7 m

Ans.

rAB
3
2
6
u
i j k
rAB
7
7
7

cos1 (3 7) 115

Ans.

cos1 (2 7) 73.4

Ans.

cos1 (6 7) 31.0

Ans.

Ch2. Force Vectors

Fig. 2.8
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2.8 Force Vector Directed Along a Line

Quite often in spacial statics problems, the
direction of a force is specified by two points
through which its line of action passes

rAB
u
rAB
rAB
F Fu F

rAB
( x x ) i ( y y ) j ( z z )k
A
B
A
B
A
F B
( x x )2 ( y y )2 ( z z )2
B
A
B
A
B
A

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.9
The roof is supported by cables. If the cables exert
forces FAB=100 N and FAC=120 N on the wall hook at A
as shown in Fig. 2.9, determine the resultant force
acting at A. Express the result as a Cartesian vector.

Fig. 2.9

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.9

Solution
rA 4k m

rB 4 i m

rC (4 i 2 j) m

rAB rB rA (4 i 4k ) m rAB 42 (4)2 m =5.66 m

rAB
FAB FAB
(70.7 i 70.7k ) N
rAB
rAC rC rA (4 i 2 j 4k ) m
rAC 42 22 (4)2 m =6 m

rAC
FAC FAC
(80 i 40 j 80k ) N
rAC

FR FAB FAC

(151i 40 j 151k ) N

Ch2. Force Vectors

Ans.

Fig. 2.9
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2.9 Dot Product

A B AB cos (0 180 )
Work & energy are dot products.
Laws

of Operation

1) Commutative law:

AB BA

2) Multiplication by a Scalar
a(A B) (aA) B A (aB)

3) Distributive law:
A (B D) (A B) (A D)

Ch2. Force Vectors

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2.9 Dot Product

Cartesian

i i 1

Vector Formulation
i j i k 0

j j 1

j i jk 0

kk 1

k j k i 0

A B ( Ax i Ay j Az k ) ( Bx i B y j Bz k )
Ax Bx ( i i ) Ax By ( i j ) Ax Bz ( i k )

Ay Bx ( j i ) Ay By ( j j ) Ay Bz ( j k )

Az Bx (k i ) Az By (k j ) Az Bz (k k )
i

A B Ax Bx Ay By Az Bz

Ch2. Force Vectors

y
j

x
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2.9 Dot Product

Applications

1) The angle formed between two vectors or intersecting lines

AB
cos

AB

AB 0 A B

2) The components of a vector parallel and perpendicular to a

line

Aa A cos A u A

A a Aa u A

A Aa A A A Aa

Au
cos

A A sin

or A A2 Aa2
Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.10
Determine the magnitudes of the projection of the force
F in Fig. 2.10 onto the u and v axes.

Fig. 2.10

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.10

Solution

( Fu ) proj (100 N)cos45 70.7 N

Ans.

( Fv ) proj (100 N)cos15 96.6 N

Ans.

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.11
The frame shown in Fig. 2.11a is subjected to a
horizontal force F 300 j N . Determine the magnitude of
the components of this force parallel and perpendicular
to member AB.
(a)

x
Fig. 2.11

Ch2. Force Vectors

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Example 2.11

Solution

rB 2 i 6 j 3k
uB
0.286 i 0.857 j 0.429k
2
2
2
rB
2 6 3

FAB F uB (300 j) (0.286 i 0.857 j 0.429k) 257.1 N Ans.

2
F F 2 FAB

(b)

3002 257.12
155 N

Ans.

Ch2. Force Vectors

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