Mechanics I

(APPM1028A and APPM1029A)

Lecture M5
A Polygon of Forces
Mechanics I (APPM1028A/1029A) — Lecture M5 2

1 The Resultant of a Number of Forces

• Consider a system of forces P , Q and T that are acting at a point O.

• We will assume that all the forces are acting in the same plane. Such forces are called coplanar forces.

• The resultant of the above system of coplanar forces can be determined by means of the following geometrical method.
Mechanics I (APPM1028A/1029A) — Lecture M5 3

1.1 Determining the Resultant of a Number of Forces Geometrically

• Step 1.
−→
◦ From a point A draw the arrow AB to represent the force P in magnitude and direction.
−→ −−
→
◦ From the endpoint of the arrow AB draw the arrow BC to represent the force Q in magnitude and direction.
−→
◦ By the triangle law of vector addition, the arrow AC represents the resultant R 1 of the forces P and Q.

C
Q R1
Q
P
B
P
O A
Mechanics I (APPM1028A/1029A) — Lecture M5 4

• Step 2.
−−→
◦ From the point C draw the arrow CD to represent the force T in magnitude and direction.
−−→
◦ By the triangle law of vector addition, the arrow AD represents the resultant R 2 of the forces R 1 and T .

◦ Since R 1 is itself the resultant of the forces P and Q it follows that R 2 is the resultant of the system of forces P ,
Q and T .

T
T R2

C
Q R1
P
B
O A
Mechanics I (APPM1028A/1029A) — Lecture M5 5

• This geometrical construction is know as the polygon method of determining the resultant of a system of forces.

• If the construction is done accurately using a suitable scale then the magnitude and direction of the resultant can be
measured with a ruler and a protractor respectively.
Mechanics I (APPM1028A/1029A) — Lecture M5 6

1.2 Determining the Resultant of a Number of Forces by Vector Addition

• Consider again the system of forces P , Q and T acting at a point O.

• If we resolve each force with respect to the unit vectors i = h1, 0i and j = h0, 1i as described in Lecture M3 (that is,
we express each force in terms of its rectangular components) we have that

P = P1 i + P2 j, Q = Q1 i + Q2 j and T = T1 i + T2 j. (1)

• Then, by the properties of vector addition, the resultant R of the forces P , Q and T will be




R = P1 i + P2 j + Q1 i + Q2 j + T1 i + T2 j
= (P1 + Q1 + T1) i + (P2 + Q2 + T2) j (2)
= R1 i + R2 j

where
R1 = P1 + Q1 + T1 and R2 = P2 + Q2 + T2 (3)

are the rectangular components of the resultant force R.

Mechanics I (APPM1028A/1029A) — Lecture M5 7

• Hence, the magnitude of the resultant force R is

p
kRk = R12 + R22
q (4)
2 2
= (P1 + Q1 + T1) + (P2 + Q2 + T2) ,

and we can use the dot product to determine the direction of the resultant force R; for example,

R1
R · i = R1 i + R2 j · i → cos θ = , (5)
kRk

where θ is the angle that the resultant force R makes with the unit vector i.
Mechanics I (APPM1028A/1029A) — Lecture M5 8

• Example 1.
−→ −→
◦ In the diagram given below the arrows OP and OQ represent the forces P and Q acting at a point O.

◦ The force P makes an angle of 30◦ with the unit vector i = h1, 0i and kP k = 150 N.

◦ The force Q makes an angle of 140◦ with the unit vector i = h1, 0i and kQk = 100 N.

Q P
Q P

140◦ 30◦
O i
Mechanics I (APPM1028A/1029A) — Lecture M5 9

• Example 1 (continued).

◦ Given that the force P makes an angle of 30◦ with the unit vector i = h1, 0i, it follows that the force P makes an
angle of 90◦ − 30◦ = 60◦ with the unit vector j = h0, 1i; hence, the rectangular components of the force P are

P1 = (150 N) cos 30◦ and P2 = (150 N) cos 60◦. (6)

◦ Given that the force Q makes an angle of 140◦ with the unit vector i = h1, 0i, it follows that the force Q makes an
angle of 140◦ − 90◦ = 50◦ with the unit vector j = h0, 1i; hence, the rectangular components of the force Q are

Q1 = (100 N) cos 140◦ and Q2 = (100 N) cos 50◦. (7)

◦ Hence, by equation (3), the rectangular components of the resultant force R are

R1 = (150 N) cos 30◦ + (100 N) cos 140◦

(8)
= 53, 299 . . . N
and
R2 = (150 N) cos 60◦ + (100 N) cos 50◦
(9)
= 139, 278 . . . N.
Mechanics I (APPM1028A/1029A) — Lecture M5 10

• Example 1 (continued).

◦ Substituting the rectangular components of the resultant force into equation (4) we have that the magnitude of
the resultant force is q
kRk = (53, 299 . . . N)2 + (139, 278 . . . N)2
= 149, 128 . . . N (10)

= 149, 13 N (rounded to two decimal places).

◦ It then follows from equation (5) that the angle that the resultant force makes with the unit vector i is
 
53, 299 . . . N
θ = arccos
149, 128 . . . N
= 69, 059 . . .◦ (11)

= 69, 06◦ (rounded to two decimal places).

Mechanics I (APPM1028A/1029A) — Lecture M5 11

2 A Number of Forces in Equilibrium

• Recall from Lecture M4 that the equilibrant force S is equal and opposite to the resultant force of a system of forces.

• Thus, given a system of forces P , Q and T acting at a point O then, by the polygon method, the equilibrant force of
−−→
the system is represented in magnitude and direction by the arrow DA in the diagram given below.

T S = −R

C
Q

P
B
O A
Mechanics I (APPM1028A/1029A) — Lecture M5 12

• The equilibrant force S acting at the point O will then bring the system of forces into equilibrium because

R = P +Q+T +S
(12)



= P +Q+T − P +Q+T
= 0.

• Geometrically R = 0 corresponds to a situation where the arrows that represent the forces in magnitude and direction
form a closed polygon when they are joined head-to-tail.
Mechanics I (APPM1028A/1029A) — Lecture M5 13

• Example 2.

◦ If the system of forces P = h−114 N, 95 Ni, Q = h80 N, 50 Ni and T = hT1 , T2i are in equilibrium then we must
have that
P +Q+T =0 (13)

from which it follows that

T1 = −P1 − Q1 = − (−114 N) − 80 N = 34 N (14)

and
T2 = −P2 − Q2 = − (95 N) − (50 N) = −145 N. (15)