Static of Rigid Bodies 2021 - Recording 3

Cartesian vectors (3D Force System)
The right hand coordinate system

Rectangular Component of a Vector
A Vector “A” may have one, two or
three rectangular components along x, y,
z coordinate axes, depending on how the
vector is oriented relative to the axes. In
general, though, when “A” is directed
within an octant of the x, y, z frame, as
shown, then by two successive
applications of the parallelogram law, we
may resolve the vector into components
as A = A’ + Az and then A’ =Ax +Ay.
Combining these equations, to eliminate
A’, A is represented by vector sum of its
three rectangular components
Cartesian Unit Vectors (u)

In three dimensions, the set of
cartesian unit vector i, j, k is used to
designate the directions of the x, y, z
axes respectively. The sense
(arrowhead) of these vectors will be
represented analytically by plus or
minus sign depending on whether
they are directed along the positive
or negative x, y, or x axes. The
positive unit vectors are shown.
Cartesian Vector Representation
Since the three Components of “A” act
in the positive i, j, k directions, we can
write “A” in cartesian vector form as
A = Cartesian vector form of vector A

A = scalar form of Vector A
i, j, k = unit vector
It is always possible to obtain the magnitude of

“A” provided it is expressed in cartesian vector
form. From the figure, the blue right triangle,
A = (𝐴′ )2 + 𝐴𝑧2 , and from the gray right
triangle, A’ = 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐴𝑦2. Combining these
equations to eliminate A’
Direction of a Cartesian Vector
We will define the direction of “A” by the coordinate
direction angles a, b, g, measured between the
tail of “A” and the positive x, y, z axes provided they
are located at the tail of “A”. Note that regardless of
where “A” is directed, each of these angles will be
between zero and 180 degrees. To determine a, b,
g, consider the projection of “A” onto the x, y, z axes.
Referring to the blue colored right triangles, we have
These numbers are known as the direction cosines of

“A”. once they have been obtained, the coordinate
direction angles can be determined from the inverse
cosines
An easy way of obtaining these direction cosines is to form a

unit vector uA in the direction of A. if A is expressed in
cartesian vector form, A = Axi + Ayj + Azk, then uA will have a
magnitude of one and be dimensionless
Where A = 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐴𝑌 2 +𝐴𝑍 2 by comparison with the

equation in slide 34, the i, j, k components of uA represent
the direction cosines of A.
If “A” is equal to 1 (Unit Vector)
𝐴𝑥 = 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝛼 𝐴𝑦 = 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝛽 𝐴𝑧 = 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝛾
𝑎𝑛𝑑,
𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒,
Finally, if the magnitude and coordinate direction angles of
“A” are known, then “A” may be expressed as Cartesian
Vector form as
(Using 3 angles)
Sometimes, the direction of A can be

specified using two angles, θ and Φ, such
as shown in Figure. The components of A
can then be determined by applying
trigonometry first to the blue right triangle,
which yields
Therefore:
Addition of Cartesian Vectors
The addition (or Subtraction) of two
or more vectors are greatly
simplified if the vectors are
expressed in terms of their
Cartesian Components. For
example, if A = Axi +Ayj + Azk and
B = Bxi + Byj + Bzk in the figure, then
the Resultant Vector R has
components which are the scalar
sum of the I,j,k components of A
and B.
Addition of Cartesian Vectors
If this is generalized and applied to a
system of several concurrent forces,
then the force resultant is the
vector sum of all the forces in the
system and can be written as:
Summary
• Cartesian vector analysis is often used to solve problems in three
dimensions.
• The positive directions of the x, y, z axes are defined by the
Cartesian unit vectors i , j , k , respectively.
• The magnitude of a Cartesian vector is A = 𝐴𝑥2 + 𝐴𝑦2 + 𝐴𝑧2.
• The direction of a Cartesian vector is specified using coordinate
direction angles 𝛼, 𝛽, 𝛾 which the tail of the vector makes with
the positive x, y, z axes, respectively.
• The components of the unit vector uA = A/A represent the
direction cosines of 𝛼, 𝛽, 𝛾. Only two of the angles 𝛼, 𝛽, 𝛾 have
to be specified. The third angle is determined from the
relationship cos2 𝛼 + cos2 𝛽 + cos2 𝛾 = 1 .
• Sometimes the direction of a vector is defined using the two
angles θ and Φ as in Figure . In this case the vector components
are obtained by vector resolution using trigonometry.
• To find the resultant of a concurrent force system, express each
force as a Cartesian vector and add the i , j , k components of all
the forces in the system.

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Cartesian vectors (3D Force System)

The right hand coordinate system

Cartesian Unit Vectors (u)

A = Cartesian vector form of vector A

It is always possible to obtain the magnitude of

These numbers are known as the direction cosines of

An easy way of obtaining these direction cosines is to form a

Where A = 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐴𝑌 2 +𝐴𝑍 2 by comparison with the

𝐴𝑥 = 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝛼 𝐴𝑦 = 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝛽 𝐴𝑧 = 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝛾

Sometimes, the direction of A can be

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