Chapter 2 Force Vectors

Chapter 2 Force Vectors

2.1 Scalars and Vectors

2.2 Vector Operations

2.3 Vector Addition of Forces

2.4 Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces

2.5 Cartesian Vectors

2.6 Addition of Cartesian Vectors

2.7 Position Vectors

2.8 Force Vector Directed along a Line

2.9 Dot Product

Prepared by Prof. Sukhoon Pyo, Instructor of CUEE 203, 2024

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Chapter 2 Force Vectors

2.1 Scalars and Vectors

a. Scalar
- A quantity characterized by a positive or negative number
- Indicated by letters in italic such as A e.g., mass, volume and length

b. Vector

- A quantity that has magnitude and direction

e.g., position, force and moment
- Represented by a letter with an arrow over it 

- Magnitude is designated by 

2.2 Vector Operations

a. Multiplication and Division of a Vector by a Scalar

- Product of vector 
 and scalar a ⇒
- Magnitude =
- Law of multiplication applies

b. Addition

  
 

     

c. Subtraction

    

  

2.3 Vector Addition of Forces

a. Finding a Resultant Force

Resultant,

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Chapter 2 Force Vectors

b. Procedure for Analysis

- Parallelogram Law

(·2 component forces add to

form the resultant force)
(·Resultant force is shown by
the diagonal of the
parallelogram)

- Trigonometry

Cosine law:

Sine law:

Example 1) Determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant force

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Chapter 2 Force Vectors

2.4 Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces

a. Scalar Notation

b. Cartesian Vector Notation

c. Coplanar Force Resultants

- In all cases we have

- Magnitude of FR can be found by Pythagorean Theorem

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Chapter 2 Force Vectors

Example 2) Determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant force

2.5 Cartesian Vectors

a. Right-Handed Coordinate System

Source: https://stackoverflow.com

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Chapter 2 Force Vectors

b. Rectangular Components of a Vector

Expressing a Vector in different forms of

rectangular components

OR

c. Cartesian Vector Representations

Expressing a Vector with unit vectors

- Unit vector has a magnitude of 1

d. Magnitude of a Cartesian Vector

- From the colored triangle

- From the shaded triangle

- The magnitude of 


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Chapter 2 Force Vectors

e. Coordinate Direction Angles

- The direction cosines of 

:

- Determine unit vector 

:

Since 
    
   
Then,

Also,
and 
 = 1

- Expressing 
 in Cartesian vector form:

f. Horizontal and Vertical Angles

- Separate a vector using horizontal and vertical

angles

Therefore,

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Chapter 2 Force Vectors

2.6 Addition of Cartesian Vectors


  
  
        
    

In general,

Example 3) Determine 
 so that the resultant force 
 acts along the positive y axis and


  

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Chapter 2 Force Vectors

2.7 Position Vectors

a. x, y, z Coordinates

- Right-handed coordinate system

- Points are measured relative to the origin, O.
e.g., A(4 m, 2 m, -6 m)
B(6 m, -1 m, 4 m)

b. Position Vector

- Vector addition gives

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Chapter 2 Force Vectors

2.8 Force Vector Directed Along a Line

        
          
 
  

 

      
 
               
  

* Note that 
 has the unit of force [N] unlike ,
 with the

unit of length [m]

2.9 Dot Product

a. General


 ∙ 
   cos  where  ≤  ≤ 
Referred to as scalar product

- Laws of Operation
1. Commutative law:   ∙ 
   ∙ 

2. Multiplication by a scalar:  ∙ 
  
∙   
∙
  
 ∙ 

3. Distributive law: 
∙   
  
 ∙ 
  
 ∙ 


b. Cartesian Vector Formulation

- Dot product of Cartesian unit vectors

∙
  cos   

∙
  cos   
- Summary

- Dot product of two vectors

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Chapter 2 Force Vectors

Example 4) Determine the magnitudes of projection of the force 

 onto the u and v axes

Example 5) The frame is subjected to a horizontal force 

  
  . Determine the
magnitudes of the components of this force parallel and perpendicular to member AB

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