Lecture 2

STATICS OF PARTICLE
-FORCES IN PLANE

DR SHAHRUDDIN BIN MAHZAN@MOHD ZIN

 Learning Outcomes

1. To show how to add forces and resolve

them into components using the
Parallelogram Law.
2. To express force and position in
Cartesian vector form and explain how to
determine the vector’s magnitude and
direction.
 Scalars and Vectors

 Scalar
– A quantity characterized by a positive or negative
number
– Indicated by letters in italic such as A
E.g.: Mass, volume and length

Scalar Multiplication and Division

 Scalars and Vectors

 Vector
– A quantity that has both magnitude and direction
E.g.: Position, force and moment 
– Represent by a letter with an
arrow over it such as A or A
– Magnitude is designated as A or simply A
– In this subject, vector is presented as A and its magnitude
(positive quantity) as A

– Represented graphically as an arrow

– Length of arrow = Magnitude of Vector
– Angle between the reference axis and arrow’s line of action =
Direction of Vector
– Arrowhead = Sense of Vector
 Vector Operations

Multiplication and Division of a Vector by a Scalar

- Product of vector A and scalar a = aA

- Magnitude =
- If a is positive, sense of aA is the same as sense of A
- If a is negative sense of aA, it is opposite to the sense of A

- Negative of a vector is found by multiplying the vector by ( -1 )

- Law of multiplication applies
E.g.: A/a = ( 1/a ) A, a≠0
 Vector Addition Using the Parallelogram
Law or Triangle Construction

Parallelogram Law:

Triangle method
(always ‘tip to tail’):

How do you subtract a vector? How can you add more than
two concurrent vectors graphically ?
 Resolution of Vector

“Resolution” of a vector is breaking up a vector into components.

It is kind of like using the parallelogram law in reverse.
 Vector Addition of Forces

 When two or more forces are added, successive applications

of the parallelogram law is carried out to find the resultant
E.g.: Forces F1, F2 and F3 acts at a point O
- First, find resultant of F1 + F2
- Resultant, FR = ( F1 + F2 ) + F3

Procedure for Analysis - Parallelogram Law

To resolve a force into components along two axes directed from the tail of
the force
- Start at the head, constructing lines parallel to the axes
- Label all the known and unknown force magnitudes and angles
- Identify the two unknown components
Procedure for Analysis – Trigonometry

- Redraw half portion of the parallelogram

- Magnitude of the resultant force can be determined by
the law of cosines
- Direction if the resultant force can be determined by
the law of sines
Example 1
The screw eye is subjected to two forces F1 and F2. Determine
the magnitude and direction of the resultant force.

Parallelogram Law
Unknown: magnitude of FR and angle θ
 Trigonometry - Law of Cosines

FR  100 N  2  150N  2  2100N 150N  cos115

 10000  22500  30000  0.4226
 212.6 N
 213N

Trigonometry - Law of Sines

150 N 212.6 N

sin  sin 115  Direction Φ of FR measured
150 N from the horizontal
sin    0.9063
212.6 N   39.8  15
sin   39.8
 54.8 
 Vector Addition of Forces

Example 2

The force F acting on the frame has a magnitude

of 500N and is to be resolved into two
components acting along the members AB and
AC. Determine the angle θ, measured below the
horizontal, so that components FAC is directed
from A towards C and has a magnitude of 400N.
Parallelogram Law Law of Sines

400 N 500 N
500 N  FAB  FAC 
sin  sin 60
 400 N 
sin     sin 60


 500 N 
sin   0.6928
  43.9
 Vector Addition of Forces

Hence,
  180  60  43.9  76.1 
By Law of Cosines or Law of Sines
Hence, show that FAB has a magnitude of 561N
 Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces

For resultant of two or more forces:

Find the components of the forces in the specified axes

Add them algebraically
Form the resultant

In this subject, we resolve each force into rectangular forces along

the x and y axes.

F  Fx  Fy
 Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces

-x and y axes are designated positive and negative

-Components of forces expressed as algebraic scalars

E.g.: F  Fx  Fy Eg: F '  F 'x  F ' y

Sense of direction along Sense of direction along positive
positive x and y axes x and negative y axes
 Scalar Notation

If scalar notation are used

FRx = (F1x - F2x + F3x)

FRy = (F1y + F2y – F3y)

In all cases,
FRx = ∑Fx
FRy = ∑Fy

*Take note of sign conventions

 Cartesian Vector Notation

Cartesian unit vectors i and j are used

to designate the x and y directions

We ‘ resolve’ vectors into

components using the x and y axes
system

Each component of the vector is

shown as a magnitude and a direction.

The directions are based on the x and y axes. We use the “unit
vectors” i and j to designate the x and y axes.
 Cartesian Vector Notation

F = Fxi + Fyj F’ = F’xi + F’y(-j)

F’ = F’xi – F’yj

The x and y axes are always perpendicular to each other.

Together,they can be directed at any inclination.
Cartesian Vector Notation

• Step 1 is to resolve each force

into its components

• Step 2 is to add all the x

components together and add all the
y components together. These two
totals become the resultant vector.

• Step 3 is to find the magnitude and

angle of the resultant vector
F1 = F1xi + F1yj
F2 = - F2xi + F2yj
F3 = F3xi – F3yj
Example 3

Determine x and y components of F1 and F2 acting on the boom.

Express each force as a Cartesian vector
Scalar Notation
F1x  200 sin 30 N  100 N  100 N 
F1 y  200 cos 30 N  173 N  173 N 

Hence, from the slope

triangle
1  5 
  tan  
 12 
 Alternative Solution

By similar triangles
F2 x 12

260 N 13
 12 
F2 x  260 N    240 N
 13 

Similarly,
5
F2 y  260 N    100 N
 13 

Scalar Notation Cartesian Vector Notation

F2 x  240 N  240 N  F1 = {-100i +173j }N
F2 y  100 N  100 N  F2 = {240i -100j }N
Example 4

The link is subjected to two forces F1 and F2.

Determine the magnitude and orientation of the
resultant force.
 Scalar Notation
FRx  Fx :
FRx  600 cos 30 N  400 sin 45 N
 236.8 N 
FRy  Fy :
FRy  600 sin 30 N  400 cos 45 N
 582.8 N 

Resultant Force

FR   236.8 N  2   582.8 N  2
 629 N

From vector addition,  582.8 N 

  tan 1  
Direction angle θ is  236 . 8 N 
 67.9
 Solution

Cartesian Vector Notation

F1 = { 600cos30°i + 600sin30°j } N
F2 = { -400sin45°i + 400cos45°j } N

Thus, FR = F1 + F2
= (600cos30°N - 400sin45°N)i + (600sin30°N + 400cos45°N)j
= {236.8i + 582.8j}N
 Example 5

Given: Three concurrent forces

acting on a bracket.
Find: The magnitude and angle
of the resultant force.

Plan:

a) Resolve the forces in their x-y components.

b) Add the respective components to get the resultant vector.
c) Find magnitude and angle from the resultant components.
 F1 = { 15 sin 40° i + 15 cos 40° j } kN
= { 9.642 i + 11.49 j } kN

F2 = { -(12/13)26 i + (5/13)26 j } kN
= { -24 i + 10 j } kN
F3 = { 36 cos 30° i – 36 sin 30° j } kN
= { 31.18 i – 18 j } kN

Summing up all the i and j components respectively, we get,

FR = { (9.642 – 24 + 31.18) i + (11.49 + 10 – 18) j } kN
= { 16.82 i + 3.49 j } kN y
FR
FR = ((16.82)2 + (3.49)2)1/2 = 17.2 kN
 = tan-1(3.49/16.82) = 11.7° 
x
 ATTENTION QUIZ

1. Resolve F along x and y axes and write it in

vector form. F = { ___________ } N
y
A) 80 cos (30°) i - 80 sin (30°) j x
B) 80 sin (30°) i + 80 cos (30°) j
C) 80 sin (30°) i - 80 cos (30°) j 30°
F = 80 N
D) 80 cos (30°) i + 80 sin (30°) j

2. Determine the magnitude of the resultant (F1 + F2) force in N

when F1 = { 10 i + 20 j } N and F2 = { 20 i + 20 j } N .
A) 30 N B) 40 N C) 50 N
D) 60 N E) 70 N
 HOMEWORK TUTORIAL

Q1(2-32) :
Determine the magnitude of the resultant force and its direction,
measured clockwise from the positive x axis.

Given:
F1 = 70N
F2 = 50N
F3 = 65N
θ = 30°
φ = 45°
 HOMEWORK TUTORIAL

Q2 (2-33):
Determine the magnitude of the resultant force and its direction
measured counterclockwise from the positive x axis.

Given:
F1 = 50N
F2 = 35N
α = 120°
β = 25°
 HOMEWORK TUTORIAL

Q3 (2-35) :
Three forces act on the bracket. Determine the magnitude and
direction θ of F1 so that the resultant force is directed along the
positive x' axis and has a magnitude of FR.
Units Used:
kN = 1000N

Given:
FR = 1kN
F2 = 450N
F3 = 200N
α = 45°
β = 30°
 HOMEWORK TUTORIAL

Q4 (2.26) :
Member BD exerts on member ABC a force P directed along line BD.
Knowing that P must have a 960-N vertical component, determine
(a) The magnitude of the force P,
(b) its horizontal component.
 HOMEWORK TUTORIAL

Q5 (2.35):
Knowing that α = 35°, determine the resultant and
the direction of the three forces shown.