Engineering Physics Supplementary Notes (for Vectors)

Vector Resolution Method

Aim: To calculate the resultant of more than 2 forces (vectors).
Resolving a Vector into two Perpendicular Components
A vector quantity will have its full effect in its original direction, but it also has some
reduced effects in other directions.
The effect of a vector in a direction not along its original own line of action is called
a component of the vector.
The process of finding the magnitudes of the components of a vector is
called resolving the vector into its components.

Example 0:

Resolving a velocity (vector) into vertical and horizontal

components

vy

vx

The magnitude of the horizontal component of is given by: vx = vcos

The magnitude of the vertical component of is given by: vy = vsin

Notes:
1

It is easier to begin drawing the horizontal vector component first. It is a vector

component drawn horizontally in the direction of the original vector.
If a vector component houses an angle between itself and the original vector v,
then the magnitude of this vector component would be vcos. See above
example 0.
The same process can be carried out for any vector quantity.

Example 1:
Calculate the magnitude and direction of the resultant force.
+y
5.0 N

-x
4.0 N

37

+x
-y

3.0 N
There are 3 forces acting on a body (represented by the black point).
Are these forces balanced/unbalanced?
Lets check.
Step 1:

Resolve each force into its horizontal (or Fx) and vertical (or Fy)
components. Take note of the sign convention because we are dealing with
vectors.

Step 2:

Organise the information in Step 1 into a table (see below).

F (N)
3.0
4.0
5.0
Resultant

Fx (N)
0
4.0
-5.0cos37 -4.0

Fy (N)
- 3.0
0
+5.0sin37 3.0
Why is this -4.0 N?
Because the
horizontal
component of the
5.0 N force is
pointing in 2the
negative x-axis

Sum up the forces under Fx and under Fy columns.

Step 3:

F (N)
Fx (N)
Fy (N)
3.0
0
- 3.0
4.0
4.0
0
5.0
-5.0cos37 -4.0
+5.0sin37 3.0
Resultant
4.0 + (-4.0) = 0
-3.0 + (3.0) = 0
In this example, both the horizontal (Fx) and vertical (Fy) components of the resultant
force are 0.
So, no or zero resultant force acting on the body the forces are balanced. The body is
in equilibrium.
Example 2:
Calculate the magnitude and direction of the resultant force.
+y
30 N
-x
60

50 N

30
20 N

+x
-y

10 N

There are now 4 forces acting on a body (represented by the black point).
Are these forces balanced/unbalanced?
Lets check.
Step 1:

Resolve each force into its horizontal (or Fx) and vertical (or Fy)
components. Take note of the sign convention.

Step 2:

Organise the information in Step 1 into a table (see below).

F (N)
10

Fx (N)
0

Fy (N)
-10
3

20
30
50
Resultant

Step 3:

-20cos30 = -17.3
-30cos60 = -15
+50

-20sin30 = -10
+30sin60 = 26
0

Sum up the forces under Fx and under Fy columns.

F (N)
10
20
30
50
Resultant

Fx (N)
0
-20cos30 = -17.3
-30cos60 = -15
+50
50+(-17.3)+(-15) = 17.7

Fy (N)
-10
-20sin30 = -10
+30sin60 = 26
0
-10 + (-10) + 26 = 6

In this example, the horizontal (Fx) and/or vertical (Fy) components of the resultant
force are NOT 0.
So, there is a resultant force acting on the body the forces are unbalanced. The body
is not in equilibrium.
What is then the magnitude and direction of the resultant force?
Step 4:

Draw the horizontal (Fx) component of the resultant force first; then add
the vertical (Fy) component of the resultant force (head-to-tail method).
They are perpendicular to each other.

Step 5:

Draw the resultant force from the tail of Fx component vector to the head
of the Fy component vector. The direction of the resultant force is given by
the angle . The angle is the angle between the resultant force and Fx.

Fresultant
Fy = 6 N (+y)
= 18.7
Fx = 17.7 N (+x)

Step 6:

Calculate the magnitude of the resultant force.

Fresultant (Fx ) 2 (Fy ) 2 (17.7) 2 (6) 2 349.29 18.7 N

Step 7:

Determine the direction of the resultant force.

tan

Fy
Fx

6
0.34
17.7

= 18.7 (above positive x-axis)

Note: taking modulus of Fx and Fy in tan calculations will always give an
acute angle.

Example 3:
Calculate the magnitude and direction of the resultant force.
15 N

+y
-x

30

7.0 N

+x
-y

10 N
5

There are 3 forces acting on a body (represented by the black point).

Are these forces balanced/unbalanced?
Lets check.
Step 1:

Resolve each force into its horizontal (or Fx) and vertical (or Fy)
components. Take note of the sign convention.

Step 2:

Organise the information in Step 1 into a table (see below).

F (N)
7.0
10
15
Resultant

Step 3:

Fx (N)
7.0
-10cos30 = 8.67
0

Fy (N)
0
-10sin30 = -5.0
15

Sum up the forces under Fx and under Fy columns.

F (N)
7.0
10
15
Resultant

Fx (N)
7.0
-10cos30 = -8.67
0
7 + (-8.67) = -1.67

Fy (N)
0
-10sin30 = -5.0
15
-5.0 + 15 = 10

In this example, the horizontal (Fx) and/or vertical (Fy) components of the resultant
force are NOT 0.
So, there is a resultant force acting on the body the forces are unbalanced. The body
is not in equilibrium.
What is then the magnitude and direction of the resultant force?

Step 4:

Draw the horizontal (Fx) component of the resultant force first; then add
the vertical (Fy) component of the resultant force (head-to-tail method).
They are perpendicular to each other.

Step 5:

Draw the resultant force from the tail of Fx component vector to the head
of the Fy component vector. The direction of the resultant force is given by
the angle . The angle is the angle between the resultant force and Fx.

Fy = 10 N (+y)

Fresultant

= 80.5
Fx = 1.67 N (-x)

Note: pay attention to the directions of Fx and Fy when we draw them

whether they are pointing in the +/ x direction, +/ y direction. This will
affect the direction of the resultant force.

Step 6:

Calculate the magnitude of the resultant force.

Fresultant (Fx ) 2 (Fy ) 2 (1.67) 2 (10) 2 102.79 10.1 N

Step 7:

Determine the direction of the resultant force.

tan

Fy
Fx

10
5.99
1.67

= 80.5 (above negative x-axis)

Note: in the above calculation, I do not use -1.67 for F x; I only use its
magnitude, 1.67. The direction part of Fx has already being taken care of in
Steps 4 & 5.

Why do we need to determine the resultant force acting on a body?

If we know the resultant force, we can get information on:
how much the body accelerates;

Newtons 2nd Law of Motion:

Fresultant = mass x acceleration
mas object)

which direction it accelerates.

(for a constant

Practice Questions
1. Calculate the magnitude and direction of the resultant force.
[Ans: 11.5 N, 2.44 below negative x-axis]
8.0 N

+y
-x

+x

20 N
-y

45

12 N

2. Calculate the magnitude and direction of the resultant force.

[Ans: 11.1 N, 54 below positive x-axis]
8

+y

7.0 N
30

-x

+x

10 N
-y

15 N
End of Supplementary Notes (for Vectors)