Chapter 2 STATICS OF PARTICLES

Forces are vector quantities; they add according to the

parallelogram law. The magnitude and direction of the
resultant R of two forces P and Q can be determined either
graphically or by trigonometry.

R
P

A Q

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 Any given force acting on a particle can be resolved into
two or more components, i.e.., it can be replaced by two
or more forces which have the same effect on the particle.
A force F can be resolved
into two components P
and Q by drawing a
parallelogram which has
F for its diagonal; the
Q components P and Q
F are then represented by
the two adjacent sides
of the parallelogram
A and can be determined
either graphically or by
P trigonometry.
A force F is said to have been resolved into two rectangular
components if its components are directed along the coordinate
axes. Introducing the unit vectors i and j along the x and y axes,

F = Fx i + Fy j
y
Fx = F cos  Fy = F sin 

Fy
Fy = Fy j tan  =
Fx
F
j
 F= Fx2 + Fy2
i Fx = Fx i x
When three or more coplanar forces act on a particle, the
rectangular components of their resultant R can be obtained
by adding algebraically the corresponding components of the
given forces.

Rx = Rx Ry = Ry

The magnitude and direction of R can be determined from

Ry
tan  = R= Rx2 + Ry2
Rx
 y y

B B

Fy Fy y A
F A
D
F D
O O
x Fx x Fx x
Fz Fz
E E
C C
z z
y
A force F in three-dimensional space B
can be resolved into components
Fy F
Fx = F cos x Fy = F cos y A
D
O
Fz = F cos z z Fx x

E
z Fz C
 y (Magnitude = 1)

The cosines of
Fy j
x , y , and z
cos y j F=F are known as the
direction cosines of
the force F. Using
Fx i the unit vectors i , j,
cos z k
x and k, we write
Fz k
F = Fx i + Fy j + Fz k
z cos x i

or

F = F (cosx i + cosy j + cosz k )

 y (Magnitude = 1)
cos y j
Fy j  = cosx i + cosy j
cos z k + cosz k
F=F
Since the magnitude
Fx i of  is unity, we have

x cos2x + cos2y
Fz k + cos2z = 1
z cos x i In addition,

F= Fx 2 + Fy2+ Fz 2
Fx Fy Fz
cosx = cosy = cosz =
F F F
 y
N (x2, y2, z2) A force vector F
in three-dimensions
F dy = y2 - y1 is defined by its
magnitude F and
 two points M and
dz = z2 - z1
dx = x2 - x1 <0 N along its line of
M (x1, y1, z1) action. The vector
x MN joining points
z  and N is
MN = dx i + dy j + dz k

The unit vector  along the line of action of the force is

MN 1
= = ( dx i + dy j + dz k )
MN d
 y
2 2 2
N (x2, y2, z2) d= dx + dy + dz

dy = y2 - y1
A force F is
dz = z2 - z1 defined as the
dx = x2 - x1 <0 product of F and
M (x1, y1, z1)
. Therefore,
x
z
F
F = F = ( d x i + dy j + dz k )
d
From this it follows that

Fdx Fdy Fdz

Fx = Fy = Fz =
d d d
When two or more forces act on a particle in three-
dimensions, the rectangular components of their resultant
R is obtained by adding the corresponding components of
the given forces.

Rx =  F x
Ry =  Fy
Rz =  Fz

The particle is in equilibrium when the resultant of all

forces acting on it is zero.
To solve a problem involving a particle in equilibrium,
draw a free-body diagram showing all the forces acting
on the particle. The conditions which must be satisfied for
particle equilibrium are

 Fx = 0  Fy = 0  Fz = 0

In two-dimensions , only two of these equations are needed

 Fx = 0  Fy = 0