Chapter 02
Chapter 02
h
Eight
Contents
Introduction
• The objective for the current chapter is to investigate the effects of forces
on particles:
- replacing multiple forces acting on a particle with a single
equivalent or resultant force,
- relations between forces acting on a particle that is in a
state of equilibrium.
Vectors
• Vector: parameters possessing magnitude and direction
which add according to the parallelogram law.
Examples: displacements, velocities, accelerations.
• Scalar: parameters possessing magnitude but not
direction. Examples: mass, volume, temperature
• Vector classifications:
- Fixed or bound vectors have well defined points of
application that cannot be changed without affecting
an analysis.
- Free vectors may be freely moved in space without
changing their effect on an analysis.
- Sliding vectors may be applied anywhere along their
line of action without affecting an analysis.
• Equal vectors have the same magnitude and direction.
• Negative vector of a given vector has the same
magnitude and the opposite direction.
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 2-4
Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
h
Eight
Addition of Vectors
• Trapezoid rule for vector addition
• Law of cosines,
C
B
• Law of sines,
• Vector subtraction
Addition of Vectors
• Addition of three or more vectors through
repeated application of the triangle rule
Equilibrium of a Particle
• When the resultant of all forces acting on a particle is zero, the particle is
in equilibrium.
• Newton’s First Law: If the resultant force on a particle is zero, the particle will
remain at rest or will continue at constant speed in a straight line.
Free-Body Diagrams