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CHAPTER 2 Forces, Vectors and Resultants

The document discusses methods for determining the resultant of vector forces, including: 1. Drawing vector triangles and using trigonometric functions like sine, cosine, and tangent to calculate the magnitude and direction of the resultant. 2. Resolving vectors into horizontal and vertical components, then using the method of components to calculate the resultant by adding corresponding components. 3. Using the law of sines or cosines to solve for the resultant when given the magnitudes of two forces and the angle between them.

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Quinton Duvenage
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152 views8 pages

CHAPTER 2 Forces, Vectors and Resultants

The document discusses methods for determining the resultant of vector forces, including: 1. Drawing vector triangles and using trigonometric functions like sine, cosine, and tangent to calculate the magnitude and direction of the resultant. 2. Resolving vectors into horizontal and vertical components, then using the method of components to calculate the resultant by adding corresponding components. 3. Using the law of sines or cosines to solve for the resultant when given the magnitudes of two forces and the angle between them.

Uploaded by

Quinton Duvenage
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CHAPTER 2: FORCES, VECTORS AND RESULTANTS

Objective 1

Determine the resultant of two vectors at right angles to each other by drawing a vector triangle and
using the trigonometric functions of sine, cosine, and tangent.

Example

1. Determine the resultant of the vectors shown in the Figure below,

Solution

𝑅2 = 652 + 1802

𝑅 = 191 N
To indicate the angle

The direction: the angle is anticlockwise from positive x-axis.


65
𝜃 = tan−1 = 19.9°, anticlockwise from positice x axis
180
To indicate the slope for the right-angle system

R
13
36

65 13
Slope = tan 𝜃 = =
180 36
Practice Problem 1

Find the resultant force acting on point A in the figure below.

Objective 2

Determine the resultant of any two vectors by drawing a vector triangle and using either the sine law or
cosine law.

Example

1. Solve for the resultant of the force system shown in the Figure below.

Solution

40°

𝛼
30°

𝑅2 = 62 + 82 − 2(6)(8) cos 70°

𝑅 = √62 + 82 − 2(6)(8) cos 70° N


sin 𝛼 sin 70°
=
6 𝑅

Therefore, the direction will be 30° + 𝛼, anticlockwise above the positive

Where 𝛼 and 𝑅 are:

6 N ∙ sin 70°
𝛼 = sin−1
𝑅
Where 𝑅 = √62 + 82 − 2(6)(8) cos 70° N

Practice Problem 2

A carton is pushed onto a platform by the forces shown in Figure below. Find the resultant force.

Resolve any vector quantity into components in the horizontal and vertical directions.

A single force can be broken up into two separate forces. This is known as resolution of a force into its
components.

Example

Determine the horizontal and vertical components when the direction of P is shown as a slope in the
figure below.
Solution

Construct the vector triangle.

Notice that we have two similar triangles. The hypotenuse of the small triangles = √32 + 42 = 5.

Therefore, for vertical components


𝑃𝑦 𝑃
=
4 5
OR
4
𝑃𝑦 = ×𝑃
5
4
𝑃𝑦 = × 200 N = 160 N, upwards
5
And for horizontal components
𝑃𝑥 𝑃
=
3 5
OR
3
𝑃𝑥 = ×𝑃
5
3
𝑃𝑥 = × 200 N = 120 N, to the right
5

Practice problem

Determine the horizontal and vertical components of each of the vectors in the Figures below.

Question 1
Question 2

Resolve any vector quantity into components along any two axes.

The components are not always in the horizontal and vertical directions, nor are they always at right
angles to one another—as illustrated in the following example.

Example

1. Find the components of force Q for the axis system of A and B as shown in Figure below.

Solution

Hint: Construct a vector parallelogram by drawing lines, parallel to axes A and B, from the tip of Q

Applying the sine law to the left half of the parallelogram, we obtain
𝑄𝐴 100 lb
=
sin 50° sin 100°
sin 50°
𝑄𝐴 = × 100 lb
sin 100°
The direction of 𝑄𝐴 is 40° clockwise from the negative x axis.

And
𝑄𝐵 100 lb
=
sin 30° sin 100°
sin 30°
𝑄𝐵 = × 100 lb
sin 100°
The direction of 𝑄𝐵 is 60° anticlockwise from the positive x axis.

Practice problem

Resolve the force shown in the figure below,

into components in the x- and y-directions for the given x-y-axes orientation shown below.

Solution

Hint:

16.6°
26.6°
Determine the resultant of several vectors by the method of components.

Another method used in analytical vector addition is the addition of the components of vectors.
Previously, our main concern was the addition of two or more vectors to obtain a single vector, the
resultant. Resolution of a vector into its components is the reverse of adding to get the resultant. A single
force can be broken up into two separate forces. This is known as resolution of a force into its components.

To add several vectors analytically using the method of components, proceed according to the following
steps:

1. Resolve each vector into a horizontal and vertical component.

2. Add the vertical components, 𝑅𝑦 = Σ𝐹𝑦

3. Add the horizontal components, 𝑅𝑥 = Σ𝐹𝑥

4. Combine the horizontal and vertical components to obtain a single resultant vector.

𝑅 = √𝑅𝑥2 + 𝑅𝑦2

Example

1. Find the resultant of forces P and Q as shown in Figure below.

Solution
4
𝑃𝑥 = + ∙ 20 N = +16 N
5
3
𝑃𝑦 = + ∙ 20 N = +12 N
5
12
𝑄𝑥 = + ∙ 26 N = +24 N
13
5
𝑄𝑦 = − ∙ 26 N = −10 N
13
𝑅𝑥 = 𝑃𝑥 + 𝑄𝑥 = +16 N + 24 N = 40 N
𝑅𝑦 = 𝑃𝑦 + 𝑄𝑦 = +12 N + (−10 N) = +2 N

The resultant force will be

𝑅 = √𝑅𝑥2 + 𝑅𝑦2 = √402 + 22 = 40.0 N

𝑅𝑦

𝑅𝑥

The direction will be,


𝑅𝑦 2
tan−1 = tan−1 = 2.86°
𝑅𝑥 40
2.86°, Counterclockwise from the positive x axis.

Practice Problem

A block on an inclined plane has forces shown in the Figure below acting on it. Find the resultant force.

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