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Force Vectors: Dr. Mostafa Shazly

This document discusses representing and calculating forces using Cartesian vectors. It defines unit vectors, describes how to write a 3D vector in Cartesian form using magnitudes and direction angles, and explains how to add and subtract vectors by their x, y, and z components. An example problem demonstrates resolving two forces into Cartesian vectors and calculating the resultant force's magnitude and direction angles.

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60 views15 pages

Force Vectors: Dr. Mostafa Shazly

This document discusses representing and calculating forces using Cartesian vectors. It defines unit vectors, describes how to write a 3D vector in Cartesian form using magnitudes and direction angles, and explains how to add and subtract vectors by their x, y, and z components. An example problem demonstrates resolving two forces into Cartesian vectors and calculating the resultant force's magnitude and direction angles.

Uploaded by

zak
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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FORCE VECTORS

CARTESIAN VECTORS & ADDITION &


SUBTRACTION OF CARTESIAN VECTORS

Dr. Mostafa Shazly


Faculty of Engineering, Room 302
Email: [email protected]
Objectives

a) Represent a 3-D vector in a Cartesian coordinate system.


b) Find the magnitude and coordinate angles of a 3-D vector
c) Add vectors (forces) in 3-D space
APPLICATIONS
Many problems in real-life
involve 3-Dimensional Space.

How will you represent Given the forces in the cables,


each of the cable forces in how will you determine the
Cartesian vector form? resultant force acting at D, the
top of the tower?
3
A UNIT VECTOR

For a vector A with a magnitude of


A, an unit vector is defined as UA =
A/A.

Characteristics of a unit vector:


a) Its magnitude is 1.
b) It is dimensionless.
c) It points in the same direction as the
original vector (A).

The unit vectors in the Cartesian axis


system are i, j, and k. They are unit
vectors along the positive x, y, and z
axes respectively.
4
3-D CARTESIAN VECTOR TERMINOLOGY

Consider a box with sides AX,


AY, and AZ meters long.

The vector A can be defined as


A = (AX i + AY j + AZ k) m

The projection of the vector A in the x-y plane is A´. The


magnitude of this projection, A´, is found by using the same
approach as a 2-D vector: A´ = (AX2 + AY2)1/2 .
The magnitude of the position vector A can now be obtained as
A = ((A´)2 + AZ2) ½ = (AX2 + AY2 + AZ2) ½
5
3-D CARTESIAN VECTOR TERMINOLOGY
The direction or orientation of vector A is defined
by the angles α, β, and γ.
These angles are measured between the vector
and the positive X, Y and Z axes, respectively.
Their range of values are from 0° to 180°
Using trigonometry, “direction cosines” are found using the formulas

These angles are not independent. They must satisfy the following equation.
cos ² α + cos ² β + cos ² γ = 1
This result can be derived from the definition of a coordinate direction angles
and the unit vector. Recall, the formula for finding the unit vector of any
position vector:

or written another way, u A = cos α i + cos β j + cos γ k .


6
ADDITION/SUBTRACTION OF VECTORS

Once individual vectors are written in Cartesian form, it is easy


to add or subtract them. The process is essentially the same as
when 2-D vectors are added.

For example, if
A = AX i + AY j + AZ k and
B = BX i + BY j + BZ k , then
A + B = (AX + BX) i + (AY + BY) j + (AZ + BZ) k
or
A – B = (AX - BX) i + (AY - BY) j + (AZ - BZ) k .

7
IMPORTANT NOTES

Sometimes 3-D vector information is given as:


a) Magnitude and the coordinate direction angles, or
b) Magnitude and projection angles.

You should be able to use both these types of


information to change the representation of
the vector into the Cartesian form, i.e.,
F = {10 i – 20 j + 30 k} N .

8
EXAMPLE
Given:Two forces F and G are applied
to a hook. Force F is shown in
G
the figure and it makes 60°
angle with the X-Y plane. Force
G is pointing up and has a
magnitude of 80 lb with α =
111° and β = 69.3°.
Find: The resultant force in the
Cartesian vector form.
Plan:
1) Using geometry and trigonometry, write F and G in the
Cartesian vector form.
2) Then add the two forces.

9
Solution : First, resolve force F.

Fz = 100 sin 60° = 86.60 lb


F' = 100 cos 60° = 50.00 lb

Fx = 50 cos 45° = 35.36 lb


Fy = 50 sin 45° = 35.36 lb

Now, you can write:


F = {35.36 i – 35.36 j + 86.60 k} lb

10
Now resolve force G.
We are given only α and β. Hence, first we need to find the value of γ.
Recall the formula cos ² (α) + cos ² (β) + cos ² (γ) = 1.
Now substitute what we know. We have
cos ² (111°) + cos ² (69.3°) + cos ² (γ) = 1.
Solving, we get γ = 30.22° or 120.2°. Since the vector is pointing up, γ
= 30.22°
Now using the coordinate direction angles, we can get UG, and
determine G = 80 UG lb.
G = {80 ( cos (111°) i + cos (69.3°) j + cos (30.22°) k )} lb
G = {- 28.67 i + 28.28 j + 69.13 k } lb
Now, R = F + G or
R = {6.69 i – 7.08 j + 156 k} lb 11
Example
Given: The screw eye is subjected
to two forces.
Find: The magnitude and the
coordinate direction angles
of the resultant force.

Plan:

1) Using the geometry and trigonometry, write F1 and F2 in the


Cartesian vector form.
2) Add F1 and F2 to get FR .
3) Determine the magnitude and α, β, γ .
12
Example (continued)

First resolve the force F1 .


F1z
F1z = 300 sin 60° = 259.8 N
F´
F´ = 300 cos 60° = 150.0 N
F’ can be further resolved as,
F1x = -150 sin 45° = -106.1 N
F1y = 150 cos 45° = 106.1 N

Now we can write :


F1 = {-106.1 i + 106.1 j + 259.8 k } N

13
Example (continued)
The force F2 can be represented in the
Cartesian vector form as:
F2 = 500{ cos 60° i + cos 45° j +
cos 120° k } N
= { 250 i + 353.6 j – 250 k } N
FR = F 1 + F 2
= { 143.9 i + 459.6 j + 9.81 k } N
FR = (143.9 2 + 459.6 2 + 9.81 2) ½ = 481.7 = 482 N
α = cos-1 (FRx / FR) = cos-1 (143.9/481.7) = 72.6°
β = cos-1 (FRy / FR) = cos-1 (459.6/481.7) = 17.4°
γ = cos-1 (FRz / FR) = cos-1 (9.81/481.7) = 88.8°
14
References
„ R. Hibbeler, Principles of Statics and
Dynamics, 11th Edition, Pearson, 2005
„ Online Resources, coursecompass.com

17

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