FACULTY OF MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING

BFF2821 MECHANICS LABORATORY

EXPERIMENT NO: 03
EXPERIMENT NAME: TRIANGLE OF FORCE
SUBMISSION DATE: 21 DECEMBER 2016
SESSION NUMBER: 01 P
GROUP NUMBER: 4

GROUP MEMBERS

NAME ID
NUR SYAMIZA BINTI ZAMRI FA 14030
SAMSIAH BINTI SUAILY FA 14031
NIK NURHARYANTIE BINTI NIK MOHD KAMIL FA 14115

LAB INSTRUCTOR
MR AIDIL SHAFIZA

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

No. Contents Page

1 Aim

2 Objectives

3 Introduction

4 Apparatus and Procedure

- Apparatus
- Procedure Test 1
- Procedure Test 2

5 Result

6 Discussion

7 Conclusion

8 References

9 Rubrics

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1.0 AIM
To get more knowledge how to draw free body diagram to get the triangle of
forces.
2.0 OBJECTIVE
To show that three non-parallel forces equilibrium can be represented by triangle
of forces (provided that the direction of forces is known)

3.0 INTRODUCTION

In physics, a force is any interaction that, when unopposed, will change the motion of an
object.[1] The SI unit of force is the newton (symbol N), which is the force required to accelerate
a one kilogram mass at a rate of one meter per second squared, or kgms2.[2] A force has both
magnitude and direction, making it a vector quantity. It is measured in the SI unit of newtons and
represented by the symbol F.Triangle of forces is a diagram used to show that 3 forces meet a
point when they act on a body on a similar plane. This diagram can be used to find the magnitude
of two forces component when the third is known. We are all familiar with the notion that certain
quantities have in some sense a direction associated with them, whereas others do not. For
example, in order to fully describe the velocity of a car one would need to give the magnitude of
the velocity (also called the speed) and the direction. On the other hand, the temperature of an
object requires no direction to specify it, only the magnitude, for example, 15C. It is also thus
split up the categories of quantities that measure mostly into two different types (some more
exotic measurements reveal other types of quantities called tensors); those which require a
specification of direction (called vectors) and those which require no specification of direction
(called scalars).Quantities such as mass, temperature and energy are scalars, while quantities
such as displacement, velocity, acceleration and others are vectors. Most importantly for this
experiment, force is a vector quantity .An important difference between scalar and vector
quantities is how we combine or add vectors and scalars. Scalars add using ordinary arithmetic,
for example, if you put a 2 kg mass on a scales and then put a 3kg mass on the total mass will be
5kg . Adding vectors is slightly differ however, due to the direction all nature of the vector
quantity.If you push on one side of an object force F, and someone else pushes on the opposite
side of the object in the opposite direction with the same size force, then the two forces cancel
out and the object does not move. However, if you both push on the same side in the same
direction, the effect is twice what you had get just by pushing by yourself. Thus, depending on

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the direction in which the forces are applied, the result, for example, the total force, can vary.
Additionally, if one person pushes from the side and the other from the back, then the object will
accelerate diagonally

Figure 3.1 : Directional nature of vector quantities (right and wrong to push the objects.

4.0 APPARATUS AND PROCEDURE

APPARATUS

Apparatus Quality/Specification
Mounting panel 1

Diagram board (with chip) 1

Pulleys 3

Knurled nuts 5

Weights 1 set

Weight hooks 3

Ring with three cords attached 3

Papers -

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PROCEDURE
4.1 Test 1
1. Position the diagram board and secure with screws and nuts through holes on the mounting
panel.
2. Position the three pulleys as shown in Figure 2 and secure with nuts.
3. Clip a sheet of paper to the diagram board.
4. Pass two of the ring cord over the upper pulleys and the weight hooks to the end of them is
attached.
5. Another weight hook to the third cord is attached and let it hang freely.
6. Weights to the cords is added to achieve 2.7N, 3.2N and 2.2N respectively.
7. The ring is released and let the weights settle freely.
8. The position of the three cords is marked with pencil dots on the paper.
9. The paper is removed, the lines representing the three cords is draw, and the weight supported
by each cord is write.

4.2 Test 2
1. A new sheet of paper is clipped to the diagram board.
2. Keep the weights the same as in Test 1, but pass the centre weight cord over the lower pulley
as shown in Figure 2.

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3. The new position of three cords is marked and the line representing the cords as in Test 1 is
draw. The weight supported by each cord is recorded.

5.0 RESULTS AND CALCULATION

6.0 DISCUSSION

1) From your force diagram drawn, state how to find the magnitude of two component forces
when the third one is known.
Firstly measure all the angle in triangle of force. From two of three angle we can calculate the
magnitude of two component force by using Sine rule.

2) What does the triangle of forces shows in addition to the magnitude of forces?

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Given two force vectors you will determine the third force that will produce equilibrium in the
system. This third force is known as the equilibrant and it will be equal and opposite to the
resultant of the two known forces.

7.0 CONCLUSION

From this experiment , we can conclude that the three non- parallel forces equilibrium can be
represented by triangle of force if the direction of force is known .

8.0 REFERENCES

1) Nave, C. R. (2014). "Force". Hyperphysics. Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia

State University. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
2) Wandmacher, Cornelius; Johnson, Arnold (1995). Metric Units in Engineering. ASCE
Publications. p. 15. ISBN 0-7844-0070-9.
3) Department of Physics Retrieved 01 Sepetember 2015, from
https://www.andrews.edu/phys/wiki/PhysLab/doku.php?id=141f11l02
4) Triangle of Forces Retrieved 30 March 2011, from
https://www.scribd.com/doc/51906738/Triangle-of-Forces
5) Study of Equilibrium of Forces and Vector Addition, from
http://www.physics.dcu.ie/~jpm/PS128/M3-experiment.pdf

Rubric for Evaluating Laboratory Report (BFF2821 : Mechanics Laboratory)

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Report RATINGS (MARK) MARKS
Elements GIVEN
3 2 1

Open- Design own

Show one or
ended lab method of
more elements Totally
elements experiments to
of open-ended dependent on
practice achieve the
method but still lab sheet
objectives
dependent on methods
(independent of
lab sheet
lab sheet)

Result Results are

and correct and Results are
findings presented in correct and
Results are
appropriate tools presented
partially correct
with elements of totally as guided
lab sheet by lab sheet
independence

Comprehensive
analysis on the Discussion
Discussio results and points only An incomplete
n theory by adding focusing on discussion and
additional question in lab poor analysis
discussion points sheet
other than
specified in lab
sheet

Conclude with Conclusion not Conclusion not

the relation of accurately relate accurately
Conclusio experiment to with the relate with the
n& the objectives objective. objective. No
Reference and clearly state Reference Reference
the reference stated stated

Report Beyond ordinary Ordinary Poor

Presentati presentation presentation presentation
on with additional report with most format and
material from of materials structure. Very
multiple sources depends on lab less effort in
of reference, sheet. preparing the
consistent report
formatting, and

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well structured.

TOTAL: