Engineering Mechanics
• Mechanical System: One whose
Statics and Vectors
ME 202
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Statics
• Statics is the branch of engineering
mechanics based on the approximation
that nothing depends on time.
• An equivalent approximation is to say that
time stops (freeze frame, snapshot) while
we analyze.
• In this class, we also assume that nothing
depends on temperature.
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behavior can be completely
described in terms of force, mass,
distance, time and temperature.
• Engineering mechanics: Branch of
engineering/physics/applied
mathematics dealing with
mechanical systems.
ME 202 Topics
• Statics
• Vectors, forces, moments (6)
• Static equilibrium (6)
• Trusses, frames (6)
• First mass moment, mass center (2)
• Second mass moment (2)
• Second moment of area (2)
• Exams (4)
Fundamental Ideas
• The basic task in statics problems is to
use Newton's laws to find the forces
and moments in a structure.
• Newton’s laws are statements about
forces.
• Moments are defined in terms of
forces.
• The fundamental idea is force.
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Model of a Force
• In engineering and physics, we pretend
that a force is confined to a line called
the line of action of the force.
• This is an approximation (a model)
because the net push or pull exerted by
one body on another is not due to
something that acts along a line.
(Contact between bodies always occurs
over a finite area, not at a point.)
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Force
• When you step onto a scale to be
weighed, your body exerts a force on
the scale.
• When you prop a ladder against a
wall, the ladder exerts a force on the
wall.
• What are the fundamental properties
of forces?
Properties of a Force
• The magnitude of a force is the amount
of force in some units such as pounds,
ounces, newtons, tons, etc.
• The other fundamental property of a
force is its direction.
• Forces can be represented as vectors.
 Vectors Forces as Vectors
• We represent a vector as a line segment
• Let the length of the vector
with an arrowhead on one end. represent the magnitude of the
force. (The scale can be whatever
• The end with the arrowhead is called the
is convenient. An inch of length
head of the vector. The other end is
called the tail of the vector. could represent any amount of
force.)
head
• Let the direction of the vector
represent the direction of the force.
tail
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Vector Expressions ! !
F = F û = F û û b û θ
a

!
• Magnitude and direction
F=F θ (measured CCW from x axis)
• Direction by unit vector
• Direction by angles !
• Direction by “direction cosines”
y ĵ ( )
F = F ⎡⎣ cos (θ x ) iˆ + cos θ y ĵ ⎤⎦
iˆ
• Rectangular (Cartesian) components
x = F iˆ + F ĵ
x x

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12
 Arbitrary 3-D Position Vectors
3-D (Cartesian) Vectors Given: any two points in
space (say A & B). B z
! !
rA = x Aiˆ + yA ĵ + zA k̂ rB
! k̂
rB = x Biˆ + yB ĵ + zB k̂ !
rB/A ĵ
iˆ
Calculate a position vector
!
rA
from point A to point B. x y
! ! ! A
By inspection, rB = rA + rB/A
! ! !
∴ rB/A = rB − rA
!
A = Ax iˆ + Ay ĵ + Az k̂
!
= ( x − x ) iˆ + ( y − y ) ĵ + ( zB − zA ) k̂
( )
B A B A
! A = A û = A cos α iˆ + cos β ĵ + cos γ k̂
A =A= ( A′ ) 2
+ Az2 = Ax2 + Ay2 + Az2 ! !
rA/B = − rB/A

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Arbitrary 3-D Unit Vectors 3-D Vector Components

Suppose that A and B z
Given any two points z are anywhere on the B
in space (say A & B). B !
line of action of F . Then !
! F k̂
Calculate a unit vector k̂ F = F û B/A
iˆ ĵ
in the direction from iˆ ĵ !
û B/A where F and û B/A are in û B/A
point A to point B. the same direction.
x y x y
Call this unit vector û B/A . A !
A
!
F = F û B/A = F
( xB − xA ) iˆ + ( yB − yA ) ĵ + ( zB − zA ) k̂ r
= F !B/A
( x B − x A )2 + ( y B − y A )2 + ( z B − z A )2 rB/A
! !
vector from A to B r r û But
û B/A = = !B/A = B/A! B/A !
magnitude of vector from A to B rB/A rB/A ( ) (
F = Fx iˆ + Fy ĵ + Fz k̂ = F cosθ x iˆ + cosθ y ĵ + cosθ z k̂ )
xA − xB y −y z −z
û B/A =
( xB − xA ) iˆ + ( yB − yA ) ĵ + ( zB − zA ) k̂ ⇒ cosθ x = !
rB/A
, cosθ y = A! B , cosθ z = A! B
rB/A rB/A
( x B − x A )2 + ( y B − y A )2 + ( z B − z A )2
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 Statics and Vectors

2 The behavior of a purely mechanical system does not depend on electrical, electronic, nuclear, biologi-
cal, chemical or magnetic principles. Specific subjects that are part of engineering mechanics include
statics, dynamics, stress analysis, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, etc. We begin with statics.

3 Nothing in this world is truly static. But the principles of statics are mostly sufficient for designing
things that are not expected to move significantly, such as bridges, buildings, roads, pipelines, etc. For
many structures, designers must refine their static analyses to account for dynamic effects, such as
thermal cycles, vibration, winds, floods, etc. But the design begins with static analysis.

4 Of the 30 meetings that we will have in this course, one was an introduction, four will be for exams
and one will be for review prior to the final exam. As you can see from this list of the topics to be cov-
ered, 18 of the other 24 meetings will address topics in statics. The final six regular meetings will ad-
dress topics needed for subsequent courses in other areas of engineering mechanics, such as ME 231
Dynamics and ME 321 Mechanics of Materials.

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5 Relativistic effects, which are governed by Einstein’s law of special relativity, are important only for ob-
jects moving at very high speeds. For static analysis, Einstein’s equations reduce to those of Newton’s
laws. Hence, Newton’s laws are sufficient for static analysis. The fundamental quantity in Newton’s
laws is force.

6 We are all familiar with the forces encountered in our everyday interactions with other things. Whether
you stand, sit or recline, there is a force between you and the floor, chair, bed or other structure that
supports you.

7 Because we use the simple model of a force described on this slide, we will find it convenient to repre-
sent forces as vectors.

8 The fundamental properties of a force, which are magnitude and direction, are the same as the funda-
mental properties of a vector.

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9 As shown here, the symbol for a vector is a line segment with an arrowhead on one end. The negative
of a vector points in the opposite direction of the vector. So, if the arrowhead were on the other end of
the vector shown, we would have the negative of the vector shown.

10 Anything that has both magnitude and direction can be represented as a vector. This includes forces
and moments, both of which will be discussed a bit later in the course.

11 There are many ways to describe the direction of a vector, and we will consider several of them. There
are also many ways to express a vector as the sum of multiple components, but we will discuss only
Cartesian components, which are also referred to as rectangular components.

12 Any force can be expressed as the product of its magnitude and a unit vector pointing in its direction. A
unit vector is dimensionless and its magnitude is one. The only information in a unit vector is its direc-
tion. Any two unit vectors that have the same direction are actually the same unit vector.

In two dimensions, two of the many acceptable ways of expressing a unit vector are shown at the upper
right. The expression on the second line of the slide is also acceptable. On the third line, the expres-
sion in square brackets is also a unit vector. It is expressed in Cartesian components and its scalar

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 components are called “direction cosines.” Since the magnitude of the unit vector is one, the square
root of the sum of the squares of the direction cosines must be one.

13 In three dimensions, the only practical way of expressing a unit vector is with Cartesian components.
As it is in two dimensions, so it is in three: the scalar components of a unit vector are its direction
cosines.

14 Suppose that we know the positions of two points, A and B, and would like to know the vector that
!
gives the position of B relative to A. We label the desired vector as  rB/A . The position vectors of A and B
!
and the vector  rB/A form a vector triangle. The equation that relates the three vectors states that going
directly from the origin to B gives the same change in position as first going from the origin to A and
!
then going from A to B. Solving this equation for  rB/A and substituting the known expressions for the po-
sitions of A and B give the desired result. Note that the position of A relative to B is the negative of the
position of B relative to A.

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 !
15 A unit vector pointing from A to B is found by dividing  rB/A by its own magnitude. The three scalar
!
components of the unit vector are the direction cosines of  rB/A .

16 A force of magnitude F with direction from A to B, can be written as the product of F and the unit vec-
tor pointing from A to B. The unit vector is derived on slides 14 and 15.

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