Chapter 3 -

Equilibrium of a Particle

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Particle 1

 Objectives
1. To introduce the concept of the
free-body diagram for a particle.
2. To show how to solve particle
equilibrium problems using the
equations of equilibrium.

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 3

 3D Equilibrium
r
F 0

where F is the vector

sum of all forces acting
on the particle.
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04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 5
Three-Dimensional Force System

Use i , j, and k unit vectors.

r
F 0
x y z
F i F j F k 0

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 Fx 0
Fy 0
Fz 0
Scalar equations of equilibrium require that the
algebraic sum of the x, y and z components of all the
forces acting on a particle be equal to zero.
04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 7
 Fx 0
Fy 0
Fz 0
Three equations means only three unknowns can be
solved for from a single FBD.

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 Procedure for Analysis

Free-Body Diagram
1. Establish the x, y, and z axes in any
suitable orientation.
2. Label all known and unknown force
magnitudes and directions on the FBD.
3. The sense of an unknown force may
be assumed.

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 9

 Procedure for Analysis
Equations of Equilibrium

1. Resolve force vectors into Cartesian

components.
2. Apply equations of equilibrium.
F x 0, F y 0 , and F
z 0

3. If solution yields a negative result the force is in

the opposite sense of that shown on the FBD.

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 10

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 11
 Example
A 90 lb load is suspended
from the hook as shown.
The load is supported by
two cables and a spring
with k=500 lb/ft.
Determine the force in the
cables and the stretch of
the spring for equilibrium.
Cable AD lies in the x-y
plane and cable AC lies in
the x-z plane.
04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 12
 Free Body Diagram

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 13

 Equilibrium Equations
4
Fx 0 FD sin 30 5 FC 0
o

y
F 0 FD cos 30 o
FB 0

3
Fz 0 5
FC 90 lb 0

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 14

 o4
FD sin 30 FC 0
Solution 5
o
FD cos 30 FB 0
3
FC 90 lb 0
5

FC 150 lb
FD 240 lb
FB 208 lb

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 15

Stretch
FB 208 lb
FB k s AB
lb
208 lb 500 s AB
ft
s AB 0.416 ft

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 16

 Example
Determine the
magnitude and
coordinate direction
angles of the force, F,
required for
equilibrium of particle
O.

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 17

 Free Body Diagram

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 18

 Vector Forces
r

F1 400 j N
r

F2 800 k N
r r
rOB 2 i 3 j 6 k
F3 F3 700 N
rOB 2
2 3 6
2 2

r

F3 200i 300 j 600 k N
r
F Fx i Fy j Fz k
04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 19
Equilibriu
r
m
r r r r
F0
F1 F2 F3 F 0

400 j 800 k 200i 300 j 600 k

F i F j F k 0
x y z

Fx 0 200 Fx 0
Fy 0 400 300 Fy 0

Fz 0 800 600 Fz 0
04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 20
Solution

200 Fx 0 Fx 200 N
400 300 Fy 0 Fy 100 N
800 600 Fz 0 Fz 200 N

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 21

Solution
r

F 200 i 100 j 200 k N
200 100 200 300 N
2 2 2
F
2 1 2
u F i j k
3 3 3
1 2
cos 48.2o
3
1
cos 1 109o
3
1
2
cos 48.2o
3

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 22

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 23
 Example

Determine the force in

each cable used to
support the 40 lb crate.

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 24

 Free Body
Diagram

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 25

Express each force in Cartesian vector form.

The locations (in feet) of the three points are:

A (0, 0, 0) B (-3, -4, 8)

C (-3, 4, 8)

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 26

 r
FB FB u AB
r
FC FC u AC
r
FD FD u AD
04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 27
Vector r r
rAB



3 i 4j 8 k

FB FB F
Forces r
AB
B
2
3 43 8
2 2

r
FB 0.318 FB i 0.424 FB j 0.848 FB k
r
r rAC 3 i 4 j 8 k
FC FC FC
r 2
2 43 8
2 2
AC
r
FC 0.318 FC i 0.424 FC j 0.848 FC k
r
FD FD i
r

W 40 k lb
04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 28
Equilibriu
m
r
r r
F0
r r
FB FC FD W 0

0.318 FB i 0.424 FB j 0.848 FB k

0.318 F i 0.424 F j 0.848 F k F i 40 k 0
C C C D

Fx 0 0.318 FB 0.318 FC FD 0
Fy 0 0.424 FB 0.424 FC 0

Fz 0 0.848 FB 0.848 FC 40 0
04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 29
Solution
0.318 FB 0.318 FC FD 0
0.424 FB 0.424 FC 0
0.848 FB 0.848 FC 40 0

FB FC 23.6 lb
FD 15.0 lb

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 30

 Problem
Determine the
force acting
along the axis of
each of the three
struts needed to
support the 500
kg block.

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 z

FAD A

FAC FAB

W
x
y
Free Body Diagram

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 32

 Locate Points

A 0,3,2.5
B 0,0,0
C 0.75, 2,0
D 1.25, 2,0

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 33

 Position Vectors
r

rAB 3j 2.5k m
u AB
r
rAB
r
3j 2.5k
rAB 3 2
2.5
2

3j 2.5k 3j 2.5k
15.25 3.905
u AB 0.7682j 0.6402 k
04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 34
 Position Vectors
r

rAC 0.75i 5j 2.5k m
u AC
r
rAC
r
0.75i 5j 2.5k
rAC 0.75 2
5 2.5
2 2

0.75i 5j 2.5k 0.75i 5j 2.5k
31.8125 5.640
u AC 0.1330 i 0.8865j 0.4432k
04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 35
 Position Vectors
r

rAD 1.25i 5j 2.5k m
u AD
r
rAD
r
1.25i 5j 2.5k
rAD 1.25 2
5 2.5
2 2

1.25i 5j 2.5k 1.25i 5j 2.5k
32.8125 5.728
u AD 0.2182 i 0.8729j 0.4364k
04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 36
r

FAB FAB u AB FAB 0.7682j 0.6402k
r
FAB 0.7682 FAB j 0.6402 FAB k
r

FAC FAC u AC FAC 0.1330 i 0.8865j 0.4432k
r
FAC 0.1330 FAC i 0.8865FAC j 0.4432 FAC k
r

FAD FAD u DA FAD 0.2182 i 0.8729j 0.4364k
r
FAD 0.2182 FAD i 0.8729 FAD j 0.4364 FAD k
r

W 500kg 9.81 sm2 k 4905k N
r

W 4905k N
04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 37
 Equilibrium
r
F 0
r r r r
FAB FAC FAC W 0
0.7682 FAB j 0.6402 FAB k
0.1330 FAC i 0.8865FAC j 0.4432 FAC k
0.2182 F i 0.8729 F j 0.4364 F k
AC AC AC

4905k 0
04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 38
 Equilibrium

Fx 0
0.1330 FAC 0.2182 FAD 0
Fy 0
0.7682 FAB 0.8865FAC 0.8729 FAD 0
Fz 0
0.6402 FAB 0.4432 FAC 0.4364 FAD 4905 0

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 39

 Equilibrium
0.1330 FAC 0.2182 FAD 0
FAC 1.6406 FAD

0.7682 FAB 0.8865FAC 0.8729 FAD 0

0.7682 FAB 0.8865 1.6406 FDA 0.8729 FAD 0
FAB 3.0295FAD

0.6402 FAB 0.4432 FAC 0.4364 FAD 4905 0

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 40
 Equilibrium
FAC 1.6406 FAD
FAB 3.0295FAD

0.6402 FAB 0.4432 FAC 0.4364 FAD 4905 0

0.6402 3.0295FAD 0.4432 1.6406 FAD
0.4364 FAD 4905N

FAD 6321.1N 6.32kN

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 41
 Solution
FAD 6.32kN
FAC 1.6406 FAD 10.370kN 10.4kN
FAB 3.0295FAD 19.149kN 19.1kN

FAB is negative so it is in opposite sense

of that shown on FBD!

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 42

 Solution
FAD 6.32kN
FAC 10.4kN
FAB 19.1kN

FAB is negative so it is in opposite sense

of that shown on FBD!

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 43

 Problem

If the maximum
allowable tension in
cables AB and AC is 500
lb, determine the
maximum height z to
which the 200 lb crate
can be lifted. What is
the horizontal force, F.
Take y = 8 ft.

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 44

 z
Free Body Diagram

FAB

FAC
A
F
x

W y

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 45

 Locate Points

A 0,8,z
B 5,0,4
C 5,0,4

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 46

 Position Vectors

r

rAB 5i 8j 4 z k ft
u AB
r
rAB
r
5i 8j 4 z k
rAB 5 2
3 4 z
2 2

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 47

 Position Vectors

r

rAC 5i 8j 4 z k ft
u AC
r
rAC
r
5i 8j 4 z k
rAC 5 2
8 4 z
2 2

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 48

 Force Vectors
r
FAB FAB u AB FAB
5i 8j 4 z k
5 8 4 z
2 2 2

r
FAC FAC u AC FAC
5i 8j 4 z k
5 8 4 z
2 2 2

r
F F j
r

W 200k lb
04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 49
Equilibriu Fx 0
m 5 FAB
5 8 4 z
2 2 2

5 FAC 0
5 8 4 z
2 2 2

-5FAB 5FAC 0

FAB FAC 500lb

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 50
Equilibriu
F 0
m y

8
FAB
5 8 4 z
2 2 2

FAC
8
F 0
5 8 4 z
2 2 2

Fz 0
FAB
4 z

2 2 2
5 8 4 z

FAC
4 z
200 lb 0
5 8 4 z
2 2 2

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 51

 Equilibrium
FAB FAC 500lb

8
1000 F 0
2
5 8 4 z
2 2

1000
4 z 200 lb 0
2
5 8 4 z
2 2

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 52
 Equilibrium

8
1000 F 0
2
5 8 4 z
2 2

4 z 200

8 F

1000
4 z 200 lb 0

2
5 8 4 z
2 2

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 53

 Equilibrium
8

1000 F
2
5 8 4 z
2 2


1000
4 z 200 lb
2
5 8 4 z
2 2


1000
4 z
2
5 8 4 z
2 2
200 4 z

F 8
8
1000
2
5 8 4 z
2 2

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 54
 1600
4z
F

8
1000 2 F 0
1600
5 8
2 2

F
2 2
8000 1600
1600
5 8
2 2
89
F F F
2
2 2 2
8000
1600
1600
F 89 89
F F

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 55
 2 2
8000 1600

F 89 F

F 831 lb
z 2.07 ft

04/07/17 Equilibrium of a Parti 56