STATICS (ME 111)

Spring 2021

Lecture 3

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

 Force Vectors
Force Systems

Vector addition of forces

1- Finding a Resultant Force

2- Resolving a known force into two components

 Parallelogram Law
 Triangle rule
 Numerical Problems
 Addition of a System of Coplanar
Forces (2-D)

Rectangular components:

When a force is resolved into two components along the

x and y axes, the components are then called
rectangular components.
These components can be represented using either
 Scalar notation or

 Cartesian vector notation

 1- Scalar Notation

Instead of using the angle θ, a small “slope” triangle

can be used
2- Cartesian Vector Notation

 Cartesian unit vectors i and j

 Dimensionless magnitude of 1
 Used to designate the directions of the x and y axes
 Coplanar Force Resultants using Cartesian vector
notation

If scalar notation
 For any number of forces

Pythagorean theorem

The angle θ, which specifies the direction of the resultant force

Dimensions are not always given in horizontal and
vertical directions
The forces F1, F2, and F3, all of which act
on point A of the bracket, are specified in
three different ways. Determine the x and
y scalar components of each of the three
forces.
Problem 2.37
Determine the magnitude of the resultant force acting on the plate and its
direction, measured counterclockwise from the positive x axis.
 Cartesian Vectors in 3-D
solving problems in three dimensions are greatly
simplified if the vectors are first represented in
Cartesian vector form
Right-Handed Coordinate System

Cartesian Unit Vectors.

Cartesian Vector Representation Magnitude of a Cartesian Vector
 Direction of a Cartesian Vector

direction cosines of A

An easy way of obtaining these direction cosines is to form a unit vector uA in the
direction of A
 So, if the magnitude and coordinate direction angles of A are known,
then A may be expressed in Cartesian vector form as

Addition of Cartesian Vectors

2-64
The stock mounted on the lathe is subjected to a
force of 60 N. Determine the coordinate direction
angle β and express the force as a Cartesian vector.
2-72
Determine the magnitude and coordinate direction
angles of the resultant force and sketch this vector on
the coordinate system.
Problem Sheet
2-32; 2-35; 2-46; 2-55; 2-65; 2-67; 2-72; 2-74; 2-75;
2-83