Engineering Mechanics

FORCES

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 Table of Contents
• Types of Forces
• Analysis of Forces
• 2-Dimensional Force Systems

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 Types of Forces
– Line of Action:
• The straight line collinear with the force vector

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 Types of Forces
– System of Forces:
• Coplanar or 2 dimensional-
line of action of the forces lie in a plane
• 3 dimensional (Not Included In the
course)!!!!!
• Concurrent – Concurrent

lines of action of the forces intersect at

a point
• Parallel – lines of action are parallel
Parallel

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 Types of Forces
– External & Internal Forces:
• External force – given object is subjected to a
force exerted by a different object
• Internal force – one part of a given object is
subjected to a force by another part of the same
object
• Requires clear definition of object in
consideration

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 Types of Forces
– Body & Surface Forces:
• Body Force – force acting on the volume of an
object
–E.g. gravitational force on an object
• Surface Force – force acting on the surface of an
object
–Can be exerted on an object by contact
with another object

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 Types of Forces
• Gravitational Forces:
– The force exerted on an object by the earth’s
gravity
– Gravitational force, or weight, of
an object can be represented by a vector

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 Types of Forces
• Gravitational Forces:
– Magnitude of an object’s weight is related to its
mass by:
|W| = mg
where g = 9.81 m/s2 in SI units
(acceleration due to gravity at sea level)

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 Types of Forces
• Contact Forces:
– Forces those result from contacts between objects
– E.g. push on a wall  exert a contact force
• Surface of hand exerts a force F on surface of wall
• Wall exerts an equal & opposite force F on your hand
(Newton’s 3rd Law)

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 Types of Forces
– Surfaces:
• Consider 2 plane surfaces in contact:

• Force exerted on right surface by left surface F

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 3.1 Types of Forces
– Surfaces:
• Resolve F into:
– Normal force N (normal to surface)
– Friction force f (parallel to surface)
»Smooth surfaces – friction force
assumed to be negligible
»Rough surfaces – friction force
cannot be neglected

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 Types of Forces
• If the contacting surfaces are curved:

• Normal force & friction force are perpendicular &

parallel to the plane tangent to the surface at their
point of contact respectively
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 Types of Forces
– Ropes & Cables:
• Contact force can be exerted on an object by
attaching a rope or cable to the object & pulling
on it

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 Types of Forces
– Ropes & Cables:
• Example:
– Cable exerts a force T on container
– Magnitude of T – tension in cable
– Line of action of T collinear with cable
– Cable exerts an equal & opposite force
T on crane

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 Types of Forces
• Assumption:
– Cable is straight
– Tension where cable is connected to container =
tension near crane
– Approximately true if weight of cable << tension

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 Types of Forces
• Pulley – wheel with grooved rim that can be
used to change the direction of a rope or cable

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 Types of Forces
• Assumption:
– Tension is the same on both sides of a pulley
– True when pulley can turn freely & the rope
or cable is either stationary or turns at a
constant rate

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 Types of Forces
– Springs:
• To exert contact forces in mechanical devices
• E.g. suspension of cars

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