TOOLS PURPOSE(S) APPLICATION(S) LIMITATION(S)

1. Idealizations  Simplify the application of  Particle - objects are modeled as  There are no limitations in
theories. particles that has mass, its size and idealizing your diagram.
shape are neglected.
 Rigid body - object’s deformation is
neglected.
 Concentrated Force - point of
application.
2. Right-handed  Identifies the orientation  The x, y and z unit vectors in a  Positive rotation is
Coordinate conventions for vectors. Cartesian coordinate system can be counterclockwise about
System  Determines the direction of the chosen to follow the right-hand rule. the axis of rotation; it is not
moment. Right-handed coordinate systems are applicable to those rotation
often used in rigid body and which is clockwise on its
kinematics. positive rotation. (Left-
 A torque, the force that causes it, and handed Coordinate
the position of the point of application System)
of the force.
 For a rotating object, if the right-hand
fingers follow the curve of a point on
the object, then the thumb points along
the axis of rotation in the direction of
the angular velocity vector.
 A magnetic field, the position of the
point where it is determined, and the
electric current (or change in electric
flux) that causes it.
 A magnetic field in a coil of wire and
the electric current in the wire.
 The force of a magnetic field on a
charged particle, the magnetic field
itself, and the velocity of the object.
 The vorticity at any point in the field
of flow of a fluid.
  The induced current from motion in a
magnetic field (known as Fleming's
right-hand rule).
3. Unit Vector  Determines a specific value  Finding the length of the vector using  they do not have any
that describes a point on a the Pythagorean Theorem. dimension or unit like
graph which in-turn describes  Finding the angle between vectors. other vectors.
the direction of the vector; it is  The magnitude should
a scaled (reduced in length always be equal to 1.
compare to original) version of
the original vector.
4. Position Vector  Describes the location of an  Finding the distance of a point with  Limitations only if angle
object in a three-dimension respect to its origin. (length) between two vectors is less
coordinate frame.  Finding the velocity of a particle. than 180 degrees and
 Locates a point in space  Finding the acceleration of a particle greater than 0 degrees.
relative to another point.  Finding the angle between vectors.
 Describes continuous and
differentiable space curves, in
which case the independent
parameter needs not be time,
but can be (e.g.) arc length of
the curve.
 Defines motion in terms of
position, each coordinate may
be parametrized by time.
5. Cartesian Vector  Represents the direction of the  In three dimensions, the set of  The given should be
Notation x, y, z axes. Cartesian unit vectors are i, j, k. expressed in Cartesian
 Right handed Coordinate vector form.
System is the location of points
in space used to develop the
theory of Vector Algebra.
6. Scalar-Vector  Multiplication of a vector by a 
Multiplication scalar change the magnitude of
the vector, but leaves its
direction unchanged. The scalar
changes the size of the vector.
The scalar "scales" the vector.
 One important physical application of
 The scalar product is used for the
Geometrically, the scalar product is  There are no limitations.
useful for finding the direction
between arbitrary vectors in space.
Since the two expressions for the
product:
involve the components of the two
vectors and since the magnitudes A
and B can be calculated from the
components using:
then the cosine of the angle can be
calculated and the angle determined.
the scalar product is the calculation of
work:
expression of magnetic potential
energy and the potential of an electric
dipole.
7. Vector Addition  Finds the magnitude and 
direction of the resultant of 
the two forces acting on the
same point.
7.1.  Finds the magnitude and 
Parallelogram direction of the resultant of
Law the two forces acting on the
same point using
parallelograms.
 Provides the means to perform
vector addition of two vectors
in two-dimensional space.
VECTOR ADDITION
 Used for vector addition
7.2  Finds the magnitude and 
Triangle Law, direction of the resultant of
Pythagorean the two forces acting on the
Theorem same point using triangles.
 Reduces the effort in
comprehending a complex 
system of forces by breaking
down the system into several
triangles.
 Used for vector addition
 Geometric method of finding the
Newton's laws of motion  Triangle or Parallelogram
Finding a resultant force and Law cannot be used if the
vectors are not free
components of a force using:
vectors.
1. Parallelogram Law
2. Triangle Law
3. Polygon Method
4. Component Method
If two vectors are having equal  Forces must be arranged
magnitude and certain angle between head-to tail around a
parallelogram.
them, we can find the resultant of the
 Cannot be used if the
two vectors using the parallelogram
vectors are not free
law. vectors.
 Tool is only usable if and
only if added vectors are of
the same type.
Determination of an external force  Forces must be arranged
applied horizontally on the Bob so that head-to tail around a
the pendulum gets a vertical triangle.
 Cannot be used if the
displacement.
vectors are not free vectors
Triangle law of vector addition states  Tool is only usable if and
that when two vectors are represented only if added vectors are of
by two sides of a triangle in magnitude the same type.
and direction taken in same order then
third side of that triangle represents in
magnitude and direction the resultant
of the vectors.
resultant vector from the addition of
two vectors.
7.3  Determines the direction and 
Sine Law components of a vector
7.4  Finds the magnitude of 
Cosine Law resultant force especially
when no right triangles are
formed.
7.5  Finds the magnitude and 
Polygon Method direction of the resultant of
the two forces acting on the
same point using polygons.
 Used for vector addition
7.6  Enables the addition of right- 
Component angled vector components to
Method find a resultant vector having a
magnitude and direction that
depends on the individual
components added.
 Used for vector addition
Redraw half portion of parallelogram 
to illustrate a triangle and apply the
law of sines.
Redraw half portion of parallelogram 
to illustrate a triangle and apply the
law of cosines.
Polygon method in physics is the 
extension of triangle law of vector
addition. It state that if a number of
 Cannot be used if the
vectors can be represented by the side
of the polygon in magnitude and 
direction taken in order, then their
resultant is represented by the side
which close the polygon taken in the
opposite order. This resultant having
both magnitude and direction.
The component method is commonly 
used in Cartesian coordinate systems,
where the vector components of the
 Tool is only usable if and
individual vectors being added are
perpendicular to one another. The
method can also be used in other
Only applicable to figures
in which a triangle can be
drawn with at least 2
angles are given and at
least one respective force
or vice versa.
Only applicable to figures
in which a triangle can be
drawn with at least 2
angles are given and at
least one respective force
or vice versa
Forces must be arranged
head-to tail around a
polygon.
vectors are not free vectors
Tool is only usable if and
only if added vectors are of
the same type.
It is only applicable to
forces that has a 90-degree
angle.
only if added vectors are of
the same type.

8. Dot Product  Finds a scalar quantity
 Applying the essence of one
item to another
 Accounts for potential
differences in direction
 Tells you what amount of one
vector goes in the direction of
another.
 Finds the Similarities of
vectors in terms of direction.
 Finds the Perpendicularity of
vector A with respect to vector
B and vice versa.
9. Matrix Method  Provides the equation for
of Finding the finding the force vector.
Dot Product
coordinate systems, such as
curvilinear and polar systems.
 A firm grasp of the Pythagorean
Theorem is a perquisite to applying the
component method in Cartesian space,
as the resultant vector from adding the
perpendicular components is found as
the hypotenuse of the right triangle
that results when the orthogonal
components are added with a straight
line connecting the tips of the arrows.
 The dot product is a function that can  Two vectors positioned at
be applied to two equal dimension an angle θ with respect to
vectors and is sometimes referred to as each other (e.g. A & B)
must be given.
the scalar or inner product by people of
 0 ≤ θ ≤ 180º
lower moral fiber.
 Mechanical work is the dot product of
force and displacement vectors
 Magnetic flux is the dot product of the
magnetic field and the vector area.
 Work
 Solving for the dot product of two  The matrix must be square.
vectors. (i.e. have the same number
of rows as columns)
10. Cross Product  Finds a vector quantity  Computational Geometry  Cross product requires
 Finds the vector  The cross product appears in the both of the vectors to be
perpendicular to a plane three dimensional vectors
calculation of the distance of two skew
 Finds the differences in terms  Multiplication is NOT
of direction (i.e. the vector is at lines (lines not in the same plane) from COMMUTATIVE.
maximum when θ=90º or each other in three-dimensional space. However, one may express
sin(θ)=1, indicating that the two  The cross product can be used to the product of the two
vectors are acting in opposite calculate the normal for a triangle or vectors as a negative
directions). polygon, an operation frequently quantity whenever
performed in computer graphics. For commutation is performed
[e.g. A×B = - (B×A) ≠
example, the winding of a polygon
B×A]
(clockwise or anticlockwise) about a
point within the polygon can be
calculated by triangulating the
polygon (like spoking a wheel) and
summing the angles (between the
spokes) using the cross product to keep
track of the sign of each angle.
 The cross product is used in
calculating the volume of a
polyhedron such as a tetrahedron or
parallelepiped.
 Angular momentum and Torque
 Rigid body
 The cross product frequently appears
in the description of rigid motions.
 In vector calculus, the cross product is
used to define the formula for the
vector operator curl.
11. Matrix Method  Generates the equation for 
of Finding the finding the force vector.
Cross Product
12.  Establishes the dependence 
Varignon’s between moments of forces of
Theorem a given system and the moment 
of their resultant force
 Deals with the construction of
a particular parallelogram, the
Varignon parallelogram,
from an arbitrary
quadrilateral.
MOMENT OF A FORCE/ TORQUE
13.  Determines the conditions of
Principle of motion of equilibrium of rigid
transmissibility bodies and to compute the
external forces acting on these
bodies.
 Replaces the line of action
without compromising the
condition of the motion of the
object
Solving for the dot product of two  The matrix must be square.
vectors. (i.e. have the same number
of rows as columns)
Determination of the moment of a  Applicable only to
force concurrent forces.
Determination of the moment of a
torque
 Determination of the moment of a  Applicable only to rigid
force bodies.
Determination of the moment of a 
The principle of

transmissibility should
torque
only be used when
 Finding the perpendicular distance of examining external forces
the force from the pivot point on bodies that are assumed
 Finding the magnitude of the force’s to be rigid.
components.  The force must only be
moved along its line of
action.
 This can be applied in a
system of two or more
forces acting on the same
body but it is limited only
to a certain point (the
effects of forces should not
be changed).
 14.  Its effect is to create rotation  Couples are very important in  For equal forces acting on
Principle of without translation, or more mechanical engineering and the opposite direction only.
Couples generally without any physical sciences. A few examples are:
acceleration of the center of  The forces exerted by one's hand
mass. In rigid body mechanics, on a screw-driver
force couples are free vectors,  The forces exerted by the tip of a
meaning their effects on a body screw-driver on the head of a
are independent of the point of screw
application.  Drag forces acting on a spinning
propeller
 Forces on an electric dipole in a
uniform electric field.
15.  Determines if the vertical and  Determine the tensional force acting  For balanced system of
Concept of horizontal components are in upon the object forces acting on a body
Static equilibrium state. only.
Equilibrium
16. Newton’s Law of  Describes the body's motion in  Determine if the object is at rest or in  Forces should be balanced.
Motion terms of physics motion  Applicable only if the
 Finding the acceleration, velocity, force is the net external
speed force.
 Knowing what happens if the object  Does not apply to
exerts force to another object situations where the mass
  Newton's 2nd Law enables us to is changing, either from
compare the results of the same force loss or gain of material.
exerted on objects of different mass.  Only applicable to motions
 Newton's third law is a useful tool for measured from non-
analyzing situations which are accelerating reference
somewhat counter-intuitive. frame.

16.1  Proves that an object at rest  Prediction of the behavior of  Forces should be balanced.
Law of Inertia will remain at rest and object stationary (v=0m/s2; a=m/s2) and
in motion will continue in moving objects (v≠0m/s2; a=0m/s2)
motion unless a net external
force is applied. Therefore,
when the net force applied on
NEWTON’S LAW OF MOTION

the object is zero, its

acceleration is also zero
16.2  Proves that the acceleration of  Newton's second law problems are  Applicable only if the
Law of an object is dependent upon centered around determining the net force is the net external
Acceleration two variables, first is the net force, the mass or the magnitude of force.
force acting upon the object individual forces acting upon an  Does not apply to
and then the mass of the object. object. situations where the mass
The acceleration of an object  Determine the individual force value is changing, either from
depends directly upon the net  Determine the acceleration value loss or gain of material.
force acting upon the object,
and inversely upon the mass of
the object. As the force acting
upon an object is increased, the
acceleration of the object is
increased. As the mass of an
object is increased, the
acceleration of the object is
decreased.
 16.3  Proves that in every action 
Law of Action- there will always be an equal
Reaction opposite reaction, an object to
another.
17. Concurrent  Convenience in finding the 
resultant of forces intersecting
through a single point.
FORCE SYSTEM
18. Parallel  Convenience in finding the 
resultant of forces that are
parallel and are coplanar
either in same or opposite
direction
19. Non-  Convenience in finding the 
Concurrent resultant of forces that are
both non-parallel and non-
concurrent
20. Free-Body  Shows the relative magnitude 
Diagram and direction of all forces 
acting upon an object in a
given situation
 Visualizes the forces and
moments applied to a body
and calculate the resulting
reactions.
Rigid Body  
FREE-BODY
 
DIAGRAM
Centroid Forces
Centroid  
Uniform  
Density
Analyzing situations which are  The system should be in
somewhat counter-intuitive. equilibrium.
Finding the moment of a force with  The forces acting on a
multiple components,its perpendicular body must be collinear,
distance from the pivot point opposite in direction, equal
in magnitude and must
pass through a single point.
Finding the moment of a force with 
multiple components, its
perpendicular distance from the pivot
point
Finding the moment of a force with  All of the line of action of
different multiple components, its the forces do not meet at
perpendicular distance from the pivot one point
point
Equilibrium of forces  Virtually no limitations
Standard mechanics problems




 Normal   
Force(s)
Weight   
Strings   
Hinges   
Roller   
Isolate   
RULES FOR CREATING FREE-
BODY DIAGRAMS

Remove   

Replace   