Problem 3.

72 The 680-kg load suspended from the

helicopter is in equilibrium. The aerodynamic drag force
on the load is horizontal. The y axis is vertical, and cable
OA lies in the x-y plane. Determine the magnitude of the
drag force and the tension in cable OA.

y A

10°

O x

B
C D

Solution: y

TOA
Fx D TOA sin 10°
D D 0,

Fy D TOA cos 10°

680
9.81 D 0.
10°

Solving, we obtain D D 1176 N, TOA D 6774 N. D x

(680) (9.81) N

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currently exist. No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.
135
 Problem 3.73 In Problem 3.72, the coordinates of the
three cable attachment points B, C, and D are (
3.3,

4.5, 0) m, (1.1,
5.3, 1) m, and (1.6,
5.4,
1) m,
respectively. What are the tensions in cables OB, OC,
and OD?

Solution: The position vectors from O to pts B, C, and D are

rOB D
3.3i
4.5j (m),

rOC D 1.1i
5.3j C k (m),

rOD D 1.6i
5.4j
k (m).

Dividing by the magnitudes, we obtain the unit vectors

eOB D
0.591i
0.806j,

eOC D 0.200i
0.963j C 0.182k,

eOD D 0.280i
0.944j
0.175k.

Using these unit vectors, we obtain the equilibrium equations

Fx D TOA sin 10°
0.591TOB C 0.200TOC C 0.280TOD D 0,

Fy D TOA cos 10°
0.806TOB
0.963TOC
0.944TOD D 0,

Fz D 0.182TOC
0.175TOD D 0.

From the solution of Problem 3.72, TOA D 6774 N. Solving these

equations, we obtain

TOB D 3.60 kN, TOC D 1.94 kN, TOD D 2.02 kN.

y
TOA

10°

TOB TOD
TOC

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currently exist. No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.
136
 Problem 3.75* The 3400-lb car is at rest on the plane y
surface. The unit vector en D 0.456i C 0.570j C 0.684k en
is perpendicular to the surface. Determine the magni-
tudes of the total normal force N and the total friction
force f exerted on the surface by the car’s wheels.

Solution: The forces on the car are its weight, the normal force,
and the friction force.

The normal force is in the direction of the unit vector, so it can be

written x
N D Nen D N
0.456i C 0.570j C 0.684k

The equilibrium equation is z

Nen C f

3400 lbj D 0

The friction force f is perpendicular to N, so we can eliminate the

friction force from the equilibrium equation by taking the dot product
of the equation with en .

Nen C f

3400 lbj Ð en D N

3400 lb
j Ð en  D 0

N D
3400 lb
0.57 D 1940 lb

Now we can solve for the friction force f.

f D
3400 lbj
Nen D
3400 lbj

1940 lb
0.456i C 0.570j C 0.684k

f D

884i C 2300j
1330k lb


jfj D

884 lb2 C
2300 lb2 C

1330 lb2 D 2790 lb

jNj D 1940 lb, jfj D 2790 lb

c 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they
currently exist. No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.
138