2.

5 Cartesian vectors

Cartesian vector notation is particularly useful for solving problems in three dimensions.
The coordinate system is defined using the right hand rule

More commonly orientation

x
X
Z

AZ
A

Ay
Y

Ax
   
X A  Ax  Ay  AZ
 A
A
Definition:
uA
Unit vector: A vector having a magnitude of 1.
 1
 A
If A  0 then u A 
A

 
u A is a unit vector having the same direction and sense as A
Therefore
 
A  Au A
  
Cartesian unit vectors: These are the unit vectors denoted as i , j , k they are used to
designate the x, y, z-axes, of respectively, of a Cartesian coordinate system.

y
j
i

Note that the analytically the sense is described by +or-

 Cartesian vector representation:

Z
 
Ax  Ax i
 
Ay  Ay j
AZk  
A AZ  AZ k
   
A  Ax  Ay  AZ
k j therefore
Ayj    
i Y A  Ax i  A y j  Az k

Axi

Magnitude of a Cartesian vector:

  
Z 
A '  Ax  AY  A '  Ax2  Ay2 
 

A  A '  Az  A  A '2  Az2 
therefore
AZk
A A Ax2  Ay2  Az2
AZ
A

Ayj
Y

A’
Axi AX

AY
X
Direction of a Cartesian vector:

The orientation of a vector A is defined by the coordinate direction angle
 , and ,  where:

Ax
cos  
A
Ay
cos  
A
A
cos   Z
A
   
if A  AX i  Ay j  AZ k , as

a unit vector A is
 A  Ay  AZ 
uA  X i  j k
A A A
  
 cos i  cos j  cos k
magnitude, of , u A  cos 2   cos 2   cos 2    1


therefore : cos 2   cos 2   cos 2   1

     
the vector A can be expressed as A  Au A  A cos i  A cos j  A cos k

2.6 Addition and subtraction of Cartesian vectors:

Given:
   
A  AX i  Ay j  AZ k
   
B  B X i  B y j  Bz k
then :
    
A  B  ( Ax  B X )i  ( Ay  B y ) j  ( Az  BZ )k
    
A  B  ( AX  B X )i  ( Ay  B y ) j  ( AZ  BZ )k

Or in general, for a system of concurrent forces:

    
FR   F   FX i   FY  j   FZ k
Example2.6.1

A force F is applied at a point in a body as shown in the figure.
 Determine the x, y, and z scalar components of the force.
Z
 Express the force in Cartesian vector form.

Z=650
F=1500lb
Y=31.60
Y

Solution: X=720
1. The magnitude of the force is 1500lb Thus, X
FX  F cos  X  1500 cos 72.0 0  464lb
FY  F cos  Y  1500 cos 31.6 0  1278lb
FZ  F cos  Z  1500 cos 65.0 0  634lb
F Fx
2

 Fy2  Fz2  464 2

 1278 2  634 2  1500lb

2 The force F expressed in Cartesian vector form is

F  FX i  Fy j  FZ k  464i  1278 j  634klb
 Example 2.6.2
A force of 50kN is applied to an eyebolt as shown in the figure
 Determine the angles  X , Y , Z with x,y,z axis
 Determine the x,y,z scalar components of the force .
 Express the force in the Cartesian vector format.
2m

2m
F=50kN

3m

Y
Fig 2-33
X

Solution:
 The angles  X , y , Z can be determined from the geometry of the box shown in
fig 2-33. The length of the diagonal of the box is
d x 2

 y2  z2  (3) 2

 (2) 2  (2) 2  4.123m
Thus,
x 3
 X  cos 1  cos 1  136.69 0  136.7 0
d 4.123
y 2
 y  cos 1  cos 1  119.02 0  119.0 0
d 4.123
z 2
 X  cos 1  cos 1  60.98 0  61.0 0
d 4.123
 3   2   2 
2 2 2

cos 2  X  cos  y  cos 2  z         1.000

 4.123   4.123   4.123 

 Once the angle  X , y , Z have been determined, the three scalar components are
obtained from the expressions
Fx  F cos  x  50 cos 136.69 0  36.4kN
FY  F cos  y  50 cos 119.02 0  24.3kN
Fz  F cos  X  50 cos 60.98 0  24.3kN
  The forces F expressed in the Cartesian vector form is
F  Fx i  Fy j  Fz k  36.4i  24.3 j  24.3kkN

2.7 Position vectors:

Definition: A fixed vector, which locates a point space relative to another point.

Coordinate system:
 Right handed
 Positive z-axis directed upwards and x & y will lie in horizontal plane.
 Position of points in space are measured by their distances from o origin in x, y
and Z directions
Z

C
(6, -1,4)
(0,2,0)
2m B
y
4m 4m

2m
6m
1m
(4,2,-6)
A
X

If r extends from origin o to a point p(x,y.z) then :
    Z
r  xi  yj  zk Cartesian vector format

P(x,y,z)
Zk
r

yj
y

xi

x
 Head – to tail vector addition of the 3 components

AZk
P(x,y,z))
zk
r

o Y

xi

yj
x

   
r  ( xi )  ( yj )  ( zk )

General case: Vector from point A to point B

Z

  
rA  r  rB
r
B(XB,YB,ZB)
A(XA,YA,ZA) rb
rA
Y

X
Therefore
  
r  rB  rA
or
  
r  rB  (rA )
     
 ( xB i  y B j  z B k )  ( x Ai  y A j  z A k
or
   
r  ( x B  x A )i  ( y B  Y A ) j  ( z B  Z A ) k
 
Head to tail addition of the components of r
To go from A to B travel

Z ( X B  X A )in  i Direction

( y B  y A )in  j Direction

( z B  Z A )in  k Direction
B
r
(XB-XA)i (ZB-ZA)k
A
(YB-YA)j
Y

X
Example:
Determine the magnitude and the direction of the position vector extending from A to B

Z B

3m
2m

2m
Y

X
3m

A 1m

Solution:
Point coordinates:
A: (1,0,-3)
B: (-2,2,3)
Hence
   
r  (2  1)i  (2  0) j  (3  (3))k
 
  
  3i  2 j  6k m

magnitude, of , r :
r (3) 2
 (2) 2  (6) 2 
 7m

A unit vector in the direction of r

 r 3 2  6 
ur   i  j k
r 7 7 7
 Z B
Coordinate direction angles:

(6k)m
 3
  cos    1150
1

 7  r
2 Y
  cos 1    73.40
7
6
  cos 1    31.00 X
7
 ,  , (-3i)m
(2j)m

A
Are measured from the positive axes of the localized coordinate system with its origin at

the tail of r

Z
B

r=7m
Y

  31.0 0
X Z’

  73.4 0
  115 0
A
Y’
X’
2.8 Force Vector directed along a line:
Often in 3- dimensional static problems, the direction of the forces is specified by two
points through which its line of action passes.
B


r


u

 
 r
F  Fu  F ( ) A
r


r


u


B F

Procedure for analysis:


 Determine position vector r
 
 r  
 Determine the unit vector u  u determines the direction of r andF
r
 
 Determine F  Fu
Example:
A man pulls a cord with a force of 70 lbs representing this force, acting on support A, as
a Cartesian vector and determine its direction.

8ft
30ft

B 6ft
Y

12ft

Solution:
  
The direction, u Of the force vector F is determined from the position vector r

r Extends from A (0,0,30) to B (12, -8,6)
Therefore
   
r  (12  0)i  (8  0) j  (6  30)k
 
  
 12i   8 j  24k ft


The magnitude of r is r  12 2
 (8) 2  (24) 2   28 ft


 r 12  8  24 
Unit vector: u   i j k
r 28 28 28
Force vector:
 
F  Fu
 12  8  24  
 70lb i  j  k
 18 28 28 
or
   
F  30i  20 j  60k lbs

Coordinate direction angles:

 
Measured between r orF and the positive axes of the localized coordinate system with
origin placed at A
 12 
  cos 1    64.6 0
 28 
 8
  cos 1    107 0
 28 
  24 
  cos 1    149
0

 28 
2.9 Dot product:  
Given the two vectors AandB :

A



B

 
The dot product of vectors A and B is
 
A  B  AB cos 
0 0    180 0
Dot product is often referred to as scalar product
Laws of operation:
 Commutative law:
   
A B  B  A

 Multiplication by a scalar:
      
a( A  B)  (aA)  B  A  (aB)  ( A  B)a

 Distributive law:
      
A  ( B  D)  ( A  B)  ( A  D)

Cartesian vector formulation:


i  i  (1)(1) cos 0 0  1
 
i  j  (1)(1) cos 90 0  0

Similarly:
 
j j
 
k k 1
 
j k  0
 
k i  0

Consider 2 general vectors:

   
A  AX i  AY j  AZ k
and
   
B  B X i  BY j  BZ k
And
       
A  B  ( AX i  AY j  AZ k )  ( B X i  BY j  BZ k )
         
 AX B X (i  i )  AX BY (i  j )  AX BZ (i  k )  AY B X ( j  i )  AY BY ( j  j ) 
     
AY BZ ( j  k )  AZ B X (k  i )  AZ B y (k  j )  ( AZ BZ )(k  k )
or
 
A  B  Ax B X  AY BY  AZ BZ

Applications of dot product:

1 Angle formed between two vectors or intersecting lines.


A

0 0    180 0


B

 
A B  A B  AY BY  AZ BZ 
  cos 1
 cos 1  X X 
AB  AB 
note, \
   
A  B  0    90 0 orA  B

2 The component of a vector parallel and perpendicular to a line


 A
A


  
A11  A cos u u
  
A11  A cos   A  u
    
A11  A cos u  ( A  u )u
 
A11  A  u  Au cos   A cos 
   
To obtain A  note that A  A11  A 
Therefore
  
A  A  A11
The magnitude of the vectors
A  can be obtained in two ways :
 
 A u 
  cos 1  then

 Compute  A 
A  A sin 

 A2  A112  A2  A  A 2
 A112 
Example 2.9.1  
The frame shown is subjected to a horizontal force F  300 j N

Required: The magnitude of the components of Flland  AB

 
F  300 j N
Z

3m

F
A
Y

2m

6m

Solution:
  
Magnitude of the component of F along AB  (u B  F ) N

FAB

Z 
F

uB B(2,6,3)


F1
Y
A (0,0,0,0)

X
   
Magnitude of component of F Along AB  (u B  F ) N
Position vector from A to B is
   
rB  2i  6 j  3k
   
 rB 2i  6 j  3k   
uB    0.286i  0.857 j  0.429k
rB 
2 2  6 2  32 
 
FAB  u B  F  (0.286 * 0)  (0.857 * 300)  (0.429 * 0)
or
FAB  257.1N
 300 2  2571.12 
F  F 2
 FAB
2
     155 N

 

or

To determine F  , Express FAB in Cartesian vector form , then calculate the magnitude
  
F  F  FAB
    
FAB  FAB u B  257.1(0.286i  0.857 j  0.429k )
 
   
orFAB  73.5i  220 j  110k N
of       
F  F  FAB  300 j  (73.5i  220 j  110k )
  
 73.5i  80 j  110k
F 73.5 2
 80 2  110 2   155 N
Example 2.9.2:
The pipe line is subjected to the force F=80lb at its end B
Required

1. The angle  between F and the pipe segment BA
2. Magnitude of the components of F which are parallel and perpendicular to BA .

Solution:
1. Determine Position vectors along BA and BC
     
rBA  (0  2)i  (1  3) j  (0  (1))k  2i  2 j  k
      
rBC  (2  2)i  (0  3) j  (0  (1))k  0i  3 j  k
sin ce
 
rBA  rBC  rBA rBC cos 
then
 
rBA  rBc (2)(0))(2)(3)  (1)(1)
cos  
rBA rBC

 
2 2  2 2  12 3 2  12 
7
  0.7379
3 10
Thus
  cos 1 0.7397  42.5 0

2. Components of F (see the alternate method on the other page)

First formulate F and unit vector along BA as Cartesian vectors
   
 rBC 3j k   
FF  80   75.89 j  25.3k
rBC  10 
   
 rBA  2i  2 j  k  2   2  1 
u BA    i j k
rBA 3 3 3 3
Thus
    2 2  1 
FBA  F  u BA  (0i  75.89 j  25.3k )  ( i  j  k)
3 3 3
2 2 1
 0( )  (75.89)( )  25.3( )
3 3 3
FBA  59.0lb
F  F 2  FBA2  80 2  59 2  54lb

Alternative method:
Since  is known, determine FBA andF from trigonometry:
FAB  F cos 
 80 cos 42.5 0
 59.0lb
F  F sin 
 80 sin 42.5 0
54.0lb