MEC1391 : Statics

Hanan Mokhtar

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 1

Chapter 2 : Force Vectors

2.1 – 2.9
Today 2.1 - 2.4

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 2

 FORCE VECTORS, VECTOR OPERATIONS & ADDITION
COPLANAR FORCES

Today’s Objective:
Students will be able to :
a) Resolve a 2-D vector into components.
b) Add 2-D vectors using Cartesian vector notations.

In-Class activities:
•Check Homework
•Reading Quiz
•Application of Adding Forces
•Parallelogram Law
•Resolution of a Vector Using
•Cartesian Vector Notation (CVN)
•Addition Using CVN
•Attention Quiz
 READING QUIZ

1. Which one of the following is a scalar quantity?

A) Force B) Position C) Mass D) Velocity

2. For vector addition, you have to use ______ law.

A) Newton’s Second
B) the arithmetic
C) Pascal’s
D) the parallelogram
APPLICATION OF VECTOR
ADDITION

FR There are three concurrent

forces acting on the hook due
to the chains.
We need to decide if the hook
will fail (bend or break).

To do this, we need to know

the resultant or total force
acting on the hook as a result
of the three chains.
 VECTORS
(Section 2.1)
Scalars Vectors
Examples: Mass, Volume Force, Velocity

Characteristics: It has a magnitude It has a magnitude

(positive or negative) and direction

Addition rule: Simple arithmetic Parallelogram law

Special Notation: None Bold font, a line, an
arrow or a “carrot”

In these PowerPoint presentations, a vector quantity is represented like this (in bold,
italics, and green).
 2.1 Scalars and Vectors
 Scalar (Mass, volume and length)
– A quantity characterized by a positive or negative
number
– Indicated by letters in italic such as A
 Vector (Position, force and moment)
– A quantity that has magnitude and direction 
– Represent by a letter with an arrow over it, A

– Magnitude is designated as A
– Vector is presented as A and its magnitude (positive
quantity) as A
Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 7
 2.2 Vector Operations
 Multiplication and Division of a Vector by a Scalar
- Product of vector A and scalar a = aA
- Magnitude = aA
- Law of multiplication applies e.g. A/a = ( 1/a ) A,
a≠0

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 8

 2.2 Vector Operations
 Vector Addition
- Addition of two vectors A and B gives a resultant
vector R by the parallelogram law
- Result R can be found by triangle construction
- Communicative e.g. R = A + B = B + A
- Special case: Vectors A and B are collinear (both
have the same line of action)

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 9

 VECTOR ADDITION USING EITHER THE
PARALLELOGRAM LAW OR TRIANGLE

Parallelogram Law:

Triangle method
(always ‘tip to tail’):

How do you subtract a vector?

How can you add more than two concurrent vectors graphically?
 2.2 Vector Operations
 Vector Subtraction
- Special case of addition
e.g. R’ = A – B = A + ( - B )
- Rules of Vector Addition Applies

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 11

 RESOLUTION OF A VECTOR

“Resolution” of a vector is breaking up a vector into components.

It is kind of like using the parallelogram law in reverse.

 2.3 Vector Addition of Forces
Finding a Resultant Force
 Parallelogram law is carried out to find the resultant

force

 Resultant,
FR = ( F1 + F2 )

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 13

 2.3 Vector Addition of Forces
Procedure for Analysis
 Parallelogram Law

 Make a sketch using the parallelogram law

 2 component forces add to form the resultant force

 Resultant force is shown by the diagonal of the

parallelogram
 The components is shown by the sides of the

parallelogram

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 14

 2.3 Vector Addition of Forces
Procedure for Analysis
• Trigonometry
 Redraw half portion of the parallelogram

 Magnitude of the resultant force can be determined by

the law of cosines

 Direction if the resultant force can be determined by the

law of sines
 Magnitude of the two components can be determined by

the law of sines

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 15

 Example
If θ = 60o and F = 450 N, determine the magnitude of
the resultant force and its direction, measured
counterclockwise from the positive x axis.

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 16

Solution
Parallelogram Law
Unknown: magnitude of FR and angle Φ

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 17

 Solution
Trigonometry
Law of Cosines
FR  700 N 2  450N 2  2700 N 450 N cos 45
FR  497.01N  497 N

Law of Sines
sin  sin 45o

700 497.01
700 sin 45o
sin  
497.01
  95.19
    60o  155o
Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 18
ADDITION OF A SYSTEM OF COPLANAR
FORCES (Section 2.4)
• We ‘resolve’ vectors into components
using the x and y-axis coordinate
system.

• Each component of the vector is

shown as a magnitude and a direction.

• The directions are based on the x and y axes. We use the “unit
vectors” i and j to designate the x and y-axes.
 For example,
F = Fx i + Fy j or F' = F'x i + ( F'y ) j

The x and y axis are always perpendicular to each other. Together,

they can be directed at any inclination.
ADDITION OF SEVERAL
VECTORS
• Step 1 is to resolve each force
into its components.

• Step 2 is to add all the x-

components together, followed by
adding all the y-components
together. These two totals are the
x and y-components of the
resultant vector.

• Step 3 is to find the magnitude and

angle of the resultant vector.
An example of the process:

Break the three vectors into components, then add them.

FR = F1 + F2 + F3
= F1x i + F1y j  F2x i + F2y j + F3x i  F3y j
= (F1x  F2x + F3x) i + (F1y + F2y  F3y) j
= (FRx) i + (FRy) j
You can also represent a 2-D vector with a magnitude and angle.
 2.4 Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces
 Scalar Notation
 x and y axes are designated positive and negative
 Components of forces expressed as algebraic
scalars

F  Fx  Fy
Fx  F cos  and Fy  F sin 

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 24

 2.4 Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces
 Cartesian Vector Notation
 Cartesian unit vectors i and j are used to designate
the x and y directions
 Unit vectors i and j have dimensionless magnitude
of unity ( = 1 )
 Magnitude is always a positive quantity,
represented by scalars Fx and Fy

F  Fx i  Fy j

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 25

 2.4 Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces
 Coplanar Force Resultants
To determine resultant of several coplanar forces:
 Resolve force into x and y components
 Addition of the respective components using scalar
algebra
 Resultant force is found using the parallelogram law
 Cartesian vector notation:
F1  F1x i  F1 y j
F2   F2 xi  F2 y j
F3  F3 xi  F3 y j

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 26

 2.4 Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces
 Coplanar Force Resultants
 Vector resultant is therefore
FR  F1  F2  F3
 FRx i  FRy  j

 If scalar notation are used

FRx  F1x  F2 x  F3 x
FRy  F1 y  F2 y  F3 y

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 27

 2.4 Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces
 Coplanar Force Resultants
 In all cases we have
FRx   Fx
FRy   Fy * Take note of sign conventions

 Magnitude of FR can be found by Pythagorean

Theorem
2 2 -1
FRy
FR  FRx  FRy and   tan
FRx

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 28

 EXAMPLE

Given: Three concurrent forces

acting on a tent post.
Find: The magnitude and angle
of the resultant force.

Plan:
a) Resolve the forces into their x-y components.
b) Add the respective components to get the resultant vector.
c) Find magnitude and angle from the resultant components.
 EXAMPLE (continued)

F1 = {0 i + 300 j } N

F2 = {– 450 cos (45°) i + 450 sin (45°) j } N

= {– 318.2 i + 318.2 j } N

F3 = { (3/5) 600 i + (4/5) 600 j } N

= { 360 i + 480 j } N
 EXAMPLE (continued)

Summing up all the i and j components respectively, we get,

FR = { (0 – 318.2 + 360) i + (300 + 318.2 + 480) j } N
= { 41.80 i + 1098 j } N

Using magnitude and direction: y

FR
FR = ((41.80) + (1098) )
2 2 1/2
= 1099 N
 = tan-1(1098/41.80) = 87.8°

x
 CONCEPT QUIZ

1. Can you resolve a 2-D vector along two directions, which are
not at 90° to each other?
A) Yes, but not uniquely.
B) No.
C) Yes, uniquely.

2. Can you resolve a 2-D vector along three directions (say at

0, 60, and 120°)?
A) Yes, but not uniquely.
B) No.
C) Yes, uniquely.
 GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING

Given: Three concurrent

forces acting on a
bracket.
Find: The magnitude and
angle of the resultant
force.

Plan:
a) Resolve the forces into their x and y-components.
b) Add the respective components to get the resultant vector.
c) Find magnitude and angle from the resultant components.
 GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING (continued)

F1 = {800 cos (60°) i + 800 sin (60°) j } N

= { 400 i + 692.8 j } N

F2 = {-600 sin (45°) i + 600 cos (45°) j } N

= { -424.3 i + 424.3 j } N

F3 = {(12/13) 650 i  (5/13) 650 j } N

{ 600 i  250 j } N
 GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING (continued)

Summing up all the i and j components, respectively, we get,

FR = { (400 – 424.3 + 600) i + (692.8 + 424.3 – 250) j }N
= { 575.7 i + 867.1 j } N
y
Now find the magnitude and angle, FR
FR = ((575.7)2 + (867.1)2) ½ = 1041 N
 = tan–1( 867.1 / 575.7 ) = 56.4° 
x
From positive x-axis,  = 56.4°
 ATTENTION QUIZ

1. Resolve F along x and y axes and write it in vector form. F = {

___________ } N y
A) 80 cos (30°) i – 80 sin (30°) j x

B) 80 sin (30°) i + 80 cos (30°) j

C) 80 sin (30°) i – 80 cos (30°) j 30°

D) 80 cos (30°) i + 80 sin (30°) j F = 80 N

2. Determine the magnitude of the resultant (F1 + F2) force in N when F1

= { 10 i + 20 j } N and F2 = { 20 i + 20 j } N .
A) 30 N B) 40 N C) 50 N
D) 60 N E) 70 N
 2.2
If θ = 60o and F = 450 N, determine the magnitude of
the resultant force and its direction, measured
counterclockwise from the positive x axis.

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 37

 Solution
Scalar Notation
F1x  700 cos15 N  676.1481N  676 N 
F1 y  700 sin 15 N  181.1733N  181N 

Cartesian Vector Notation: F1   676i  181 jN

Scalar Notation
F2 x  450 cos 60 N  225N 
F2 y  450 sin 60 N  389.7114 N  390 N 

Cartesian Vector Notation: F2  225i  390 jN
Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 38
 Solution
  
FR  F1  F2

FR   676i  181 j 225i  390 j

FR   451i  209 jN
FR   4512
 209  497.0734 N  497 N
2
y
209
tan    0.4634 FR
451
  24.8637o

  180o    155.1363o  155o 
x
Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 39
 2.4
Determine the magnitude of the resultant force FR = F1 +
F2 and its direction, measured clockwise from the positive
u axis.

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 40

 2.7
If FB = 2 kN and the resultant force acts along the positive
u axis, determine the magnitude of the resultant force and
the angle θ.

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 41

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 42
Thank you

Week 1 - Lecture 2 (2.1 - 2.4) 43