Chapter 2 – Force Vectors

Scalars and Vectors

Vectors – A mathematical quantity possessing magnitude and direction.

Scalar – A mathematical quantity possessing magnitude only.

Name some vectors: forces, velocity, displacement

Name some scalars: Area, volume, mass energy

Representation of vector
Bold R – Word Processors  Book uses this.
Arrow R – Long Hand, Word Processors
Underline R – Long Hand, Typewriter, Word Processors

Magnitude of a Vector
R Book uses italics for all scalars

Types of Vectors
1). Fixed (or bound) vectors – a vector for which a unique point of
application is specified and thus cannot be moved without
modifying
the conditions of the problem.

2). Free vector – a vector whose action is not confined to or associated

with a unique line in space. (couple)

3). Sliding vector – a vector for which a unique line in space (line of
action) must be maintained.

For 2 vectors to be equal they must have the same:

P P
1). Magnitude

2). Direction

They do not need to have the same point of application.

A negative vector of a given vector has same magnitude but opposite direction.
P -P

P and –P are equal and opposite P + (-P) = 0

Vector Operations
Product of a scalar and a vector
P + P + P = 4P (the number 4 is a scalar)
This is a vector in the same direction as P but 4 times as long.

(+n)P = vector same direction as P, n times as long

(-n)P = vector opposite direction as P, n times as long

Vector Addition
The sum of 2 vectors can be obtained by attaching the 2 vectors to the
same point and constructing a parallelogram – Parallelogram law.

R
Q

R=P+Q
P
R = resultant vector
Note: The magnitude of P + Q is not usually equal to P  Q .

Addition of vectors is communative: P + Q = Q + P

Triangle Rule
P
Q R R Q

Let’s add 3 vectors!


Parallelogram Law R1 R1
Q Q 
R
Q
P P P

S S S

R1 = Q + P R = R1 + S = Q + P + S

Triangle Rule
Q Q P P S
R Q R
1 1
P R
S S
R = R1 + S = Q + P + S
R1 = Q + P
 Polygon Rule – Successive applications of triangle rule.
Q
Q P
S
P R
S

Note: P +Q + S = (P + Q) + S = P + (Q + S) vector addition is associative

Vector Subtraction – the addition of the corresponding negative vector

P
P – Q = P + (-Q)
-Q
R

Resolution of vector into components

A single vector can be represented by 2 or more vectors. These vectors
are components of the original vector. Finding these is called
resolving the vector into its components.

There is an infinite number of ways to resolve one vector.

P 1 P 2
P P
2 1 etc.

P P

2 cases of particular interest are:

1). One of the 2 components is known. Easy (see above)
2). The line of action of both components is know.

When would #2 happen? When you are given a coordinate system!

y
P


x

What are the x and y components of P if P = 1000 lbs, = 30o

Px = P cos 30o = 866 lbs Py = P sin 30o = 500 lbs

Note: Given Px and Py, what is P?

P2 = Px2 + Py2=8662 + 5002 = 1000 lbs
1). Given: The fixed structure shown below.
B
P
P = 500 N
T = 200 N T

5m
 75 o
A
C D
3m

Find: Combine P and T into a single force R

P = 500

T = 200 R
 

BD 5 sin 75 
tan   
AD 3  5 cos 75 
  48.4 

Law of cosines:
c 2  a 2  b 2  2ab cos(c )
R 2  200 2  500 2  2( 200)(500) cos( 48.4  )
R  396.5 N

Law of sines:
200 396.5
   22.2 
sin  sin 48.4 


R  396.5 N 22.2
2.) Given: A barge is pulled by 2 tugboats. The resultant of the forces exerted by the
tugboats is a 5000 pound force directed along the center axis of the barge.

A
1

30
B

C
2

Find: a). tension in each rope if  =45 degrees

b). value of  such that the tension in rope 2 is minimum.

5000
a).
45 30
T2 T1

T1 T2 5000
 
sin 45
sin 30
sin 105

T1  3660 lbs
T2  2590 lbs

b). 5000
30o dir of T1

Dir of
T2?
Dir of
  60 
Dir of T2?
T2? T1  5000 cos 30   4330 lbs
T2  5000 sin 30   2500 lbs
3). Given: The vertical force F of 350 lbs acts downward at A on the two-membered
frame.
B

45 o

A
30 o

F C

Find: The magnitudes of the two components of F directed along AB and AC.

45

75 
60 
350 lbs

FAB FAC 350


 

sin 60 sin 45 sin 75 

FAB  314 lbs

FAC  256 lbs
Addition of a System of Coplanar Forces

Vector Notation
In many problems it will be necessary to resolve a force into 2
components that are perpendicular to each other.
y

ĵ

iˆ x
O
2 vectors, iˆ and ĵ that have the direction shown and magnitude 1 - unit
vectors.

The iˆ and ĵ provide direction!


-suppose I want a vector 4 units long in the x-direction V  4iˆ
-a vector 5 units long in the negative y-direction

 
V  5  ˆj  5 ˆj

 
Is P  0.6iˆ  0.8 ˆj a unit vector? Yes P  0 .6 2  0 .8 2  1

Suppose we have a force, with magnitude Fx , that lies on the x-axis.

 
Fx  Fx iˆ and one on the y-axis Fy  F y iˆ .


What is the

resultant,
 
F ?
F  Fx  Fy  Fx iˆ  Fy ˆj
  
Remember: Fx , F y and Fx are vectors
Fx , F y and F are magnitude of vectors, which are
scalars

What does F look like?
y 
What is the magnitude of F
?
2 2
F  Fx  Fy
 
Fy F What is ?
 Fy 
  tan 1  
 Fx 
 
ĵ  
iˆ Fx x
   
Given F what is Fx and Fy

Fx  F cos  iˆ

Fy  F sin  ˆj
FX  F cos
What is FX and F ?
F  F sin 

Coplanar force resultants      

Given 3 forces, P, Q, and S their resultant is R  PQ S
y 
 P
S

x
Q

 Q  Q x ( iˆ)  Q y (  ˆj ) 
P  Px iˆ  Py ˆj  S  S x iˆ  S y ˆj
Q   Q x iˆ  Q y ˆj

   
R  P  Q  S  P x iˆ  Py ˆj  Q x iˆ  Q y ˆj  S x iˆ  S y ˆj

R   Px  Q x  S x  iˆ  Py

  Q y  S y ˆj 
R   Px    Q x   S x  iˆ 

 P   Q
y y   S  ˆj
y

RX R


R  R x iˆ  R y ˆj
So:
R x  Fx
R y  F y
Sign convention! You have either + or - components.

From now on, drop magnitude (| |) sign for all scalars. All vectors will
have

arrows.
P Vector P  Magnitude of P.

Once you have the components, the resultant vector can be sketched and
found using:
2
2 2 Ry
R 2  R x  R y tan  
Rx
1). Given: Replace the 6 kN and 4 kN forces by a single force, expressed in vector
notation.

4 kN y

40

6 kN
30 


    F4 x y
R  F6  F4 F4
o

40 F4 y 
F6

30 o 
 F6 y
F6 x

x
  
F6  F6 x  F6 y

F6  F6 x iˆ  F6 y ˆj

F6  F6 cos 30  iˆ  F6 sin 30  ˆj

F6  6000 cos 30  iˆ  6000 sin 30  ˆj

F6  5200 iˆ  3000 ˆj

  
F4  F4 x  F4 y

F4  F4 x iˆ  F4 y ˆj

F4  F4 sin 40  ( iˆ)  F4 cos 40  ˆj

F4  4000 sin 40  ( iˆ)  4000 cos 40  ˆj

F4  2570 iˆ  3060 ˆj


R  5200 iˆ  3000 ˆj  2570 iˆ  3060 ˆj

R  2630 iˆ  6060 ˆj N
 
2). Given: Previous problem. Find R using scalar notation.

4kN
y
40

6kN
30 

R x  Fx R y  F y
R x   F6 x  F4 x R y   F6 y  F4 y
R x  6 cos 30   4 sin 40  R y  6 sin 30   4 cos 40 
R x  2.63 kN R y  6.06 kN


R  R x iˆ  R y ˆj

R  2.63 iˆ  6.06 ˆj kN
2.5 Cartesian vectors

Right hand coordinate system

y

ĵ
iˆ x
k̂
z

3-dimensional vectors
y


Fy


F
y
x
  x
Fz Fx
z

z
   
F  Fx  Fy  Fz F
2 2
Fx  Fy  Fz
2

 Note:
F  Fx iˆ  Fy ˆj  Fz kˆ Fx  F cos  x Fy  cos  y Fz  F cos  z


F 
 uF
F

 F Fx ˆ Fy ˆ Fz ˆ Fx Fy Fz
uF   i j k  cos  x  cos  y  cos z
F F F F F F F
Direction cosines

u F  cos x iˆ  cos y ˆj  cos z kˆ


cos 2  x  cos 2  y  cos 2  z  1 u F is a unit vector

F  Fx iˆ  Fy ˆj  Fz kˆ

F  F cos 0 x iˆ  F cos 0 y ˆj  F cos z kˆ

F  F (cos x iˆ  F cos  y ˆj  F cos  z kˆ )
 
F  F uF  important!!

F => Magnitude

u F => Direction

When in 3-D always use vectors!!

  
R  PQ

R  Px iˆ  Py ˆj  Pz kˆ  Q x iˆ  Q y ˆj  Q z kˆ

R  ( Px  Q x )iˆ  ( Py  Q y ) ˆj  ( Pz  Q z ) kˆ

Find complete vectors!!

-Don't try to find all the x components and then add them, then y's and z's.

2.7 Position vectors

Def: Position vector- a fixed vector which locates a point in space relative to another
point.
y

P ( x, y , z )

R


R  position vector

R  xiˆ  yˆj  zkˆ

Most of the time, the position vector will not begin at the origin, but at a point other than
the origin.
 y


rAB

 
rB rA

  
rA  rAB  rB
  
rAB  rB  rA

rAB  x B iˆ  y B ˆj  z B kˆ  ( x A iˆ  y A ˆj  z A kˆ)

rAB  ( x B  x A )iˆ  ( y B  y A ) ˆj  ( z B  z A ) kˆ

Hint: Find x, y, z coordinates of all points first, then compute position vectors.
1). Given: The tower BC is anchored by the guy wire AB which is anchored to the tower
at B and the ground at A.

B 40m

80m A

30m

C

Find: a). The position vector rAB

b). The position vector rBA

c). The unit vector u AB

a). A (40,0,-30)
B (0,80,0)

rAB  (0  40)iˆ  (80  0) ˆj  (0  ( 30))kˆ

rAB  40 iˆ  80 ˆj  30 kˆ

 
b). rBA   rAB
 
rBA  40 iˆ  80 ˆj  30 k


 R AB  40iˆ  80 ˆ ˆ
j  30 k
c). u AB  R 
AB ( 40) 2  (80) 2  (30) 2


u AB  0.424 iˆ  0.848 ˆj  0.318 kˆ
2). Given: The previous problem. Suppose the magnitude of the tension in the guy wire
is 2500 lbs.

Find: a). the tension vector T AB

b). the angles x, y, and z of T AB
 
a). F  F u F
 
T AB  T AB u AB

T AB  2500( 0.424 iˆ  0.848 ˆj  0.318 kˆ )

T AB  1060 iˆ  2120 ˆj  795 kˆ lbs

T ABx T ABy T ABz

b). cos  x  cos y  cos  z 
T AB T AB T AB

 1060 2120 795

cos  x  cos  y  cos z 
2500 2500 2500

 x  115 .1  y  32   z  71.5 

Note: These are the direction cosines  0.424 iˆ  0.848 ˆj  0.318 kˆ

cos  x  0.424 cos y  0.848 cos  z  0.318

2.8 Force vector directed along a line

In many cases, a force is defined by its magnitude and two points along its line of action.

y
B (x 2, y 2, z2)

F


uF
A (x 2, y 2, z2)

z
 
F  F uF

need

given
 
rAB  ( x 2  x1 ) iˆ  ( y 2  y1 ) ˆj  ( z 2  z1 ) kˆ
 r 
F  F  AB 
 rAB  rAB  ( x 2  x1 ) 2  ( y 2  y1 ) 2  ( z 2  z1 ) 2

 ( x 2  x1 ) iˆ  ( y 2  y1 ) ˆj  ( z 2  z1 ) kˆ
FF
( x 2  x1 ) 2  ( y 2  y1 ) 2  ( z 2  z1 ) 2

2.9 Dot product (scalar product)

useful for: 1). Finding the angle formed by two vectors
2). Finding the projection of a vector on a given axis. (determining its
components.

The above is easily done in 2-D using trigonometry, but in 3-D vectors are the
easiest way to go!!
 The dot product is defined by:
 
P  Q  PQ cos

Q

 
P

Properties    
Commutative: P  Q  Q  P     
Scalar mult: a (P  Q )  (aP)  Q  P  (aQ )  ( P  Q)a
Distributive: P  (Q1  Q2 )  P  Q1  P  Q2
  
Associative: ( P  Q)  S  
-Has no meaning! Why? P  Q is a scalar, and we cannot take the dot product of
a scalar and a vector. We can only take the dot product of 2 vectors.

Dot product in rectangular coordinates

 
P  Q ( Px iˆ  Py ˆj  Pz kˆ )  (Q x iˆ  Q y ˆj  Q z kˆ )
 
P  Q  Px Q x (iˆ  iˆ)  Px Q y (iˆ  ˆj )  Px Q z (iˆ  kˆ)  Py Q x ( ˆj  iˆ) 
Py Q y ( ˆj  ˆj )  Py Q z ( ˆj  kˆ)  Pz Q x ( kˆ  iˆ)  Pz Q y ( kˆ  ˆj )  Pz Q z ( kˆ  kˆ )

iˆ  iˆ  1 ˆj  ˆj  1 kˆ  kˆ  1 iˆ  ˆj  0 ˆj  kˆ  0 kˆ  iˆ  0

 
P  Q  Px Q x  Py Q y  Pz Q z

Applications
1). Finding
 
the angle formed by 2 vectors
P  Q  PQ cos
Px Q x  Py Q y  Pz Q z  PQ cos

 Px Q x  Py Q y  Pz Q z 
  cos 1  
 PQ 
Applications (continued)
2). Finding the projection of a vector on a given axis.

y L


Q
POL POL  P cos 

P

x
O

z
 
P  Q  PQ cos
 
P  Q  POL Q

P Px Q x  Py Q y  Pz Q z
POL  
Q Q

or

1    Q 
POL  ( P  Q)  P  
Q Q
 
POL  P  u OL  ( Px iˆ  Py ˆj  Pz kˆ)  (cos x iˆ  cos  y ˆj  cos z kˆ)
POL  Px cos  x  Py cos  y  Pz cos z

direction cosines
1). Given: A precast-concrete wall section is temporarily held by the cable shown. The
tension in cable AB is 840 lbs and the tension in cable AC is 1200 lbs.

D
C

B
8 ft

16ft
A

11 ft 16 ft

Find: The magnitude and direction of the resultant of the forces exerted by cables AB
and AC on stake A.

Put coordinate system in lower, left corner of wall.

y TAB TAC

z
x
A
A (16, 0, -11)
B (0, 8, 0)
C (0, 8, -27)

     (0  16)iˆ  (8  0) ˆj  (0  ( 11))kˆ
R  T AB  T AC T AB  T AB u AB  840
16 2  8 2  11 2

T AB  ˆ
640i  320 ˆ
j  ˆ
440 k
   ( 0  16)i
ˆ  (8  0) ˆ
j  ( 2
T AC  T AC u
AC  1200

 16 2
 82  16

T AC  800iˆ  400 ˆ
j  800k ˆ


R  ˆ
 ( 640i  320 ˆ
j  440 kˆ)  ˆ
( 800i  400 ˆ
j ˆ
 800 k

R  ˆ
1440i  720 ˆ
j ˆ
 360 k


R  1650 lbs u R  0.873iˆ  0.436 ˆj  0.218kˆ
or

 x  150.8   y  64.2   z  102.6 

2). Given: The boom OA carries a load P and is supported by 2 cables as shown. the
tension in cable AB is 732 N.

y
 C
B 720 500 mm
480 mm mm

580 mm
O A
x
z 960 mm
P

Find: Determine the tension in cable AC, and the magnitude of P if the resultant of P and
the forces exerted at A by the two cables must be directed along OA.
 

 F  R   
T AB  T AC  P  R P   Pˆj A(0.96, 0, 0)

R  R x iˆ B(0, 0.58, 0.48)
  
C(0, 0.5, -0.72)
T AB  T AB u AB
  (0  0.96)iˆ  (0.58  0) ˆj  (0.48  0) kˆ 
T AB  732 

 0 .96 2
 0.58 2
 0.48 2


ˆ
T AB  576i  348 j  288k ˆ ˆ

  
T AC  T AC u AC
  (0  0.96)iˆ  (0.5  0) ˆj  (0.72  0) kˆ 
T AC  T AC  

 0 .96 2
 0. 5 2
 0.72 2


T AC  0.738T AC iˆ  0.384T AC ˆj  0.554T AC kˆ

Substituting in the sum of forces equation and collecting like terms:

( 576  0.738TAC )iˆ  (348  0.384T AC  P) ˆj  ( 288  0.554T AC ) kˆ  R x iˆ

Equating coefficients:
z coefficients: 288  0.554T AC  0  T AC  520 N
y coefficients: 348  0.384(520)  P  0  P  548 N
3). Given: The tension in cable AC is 945 N

1.8 m 3.6 m 4.5 m

D
C
A

2.7 m
3.9 m P
B x

3.6 m

Find: a). Angle between cable AC and the boom AB.

b). Projection of the force in cable AC on AB.

A(3.6,2.7,0)
B(0,0,0)
C(0,3.9,1.8)

a).

AB
 
AC
 ( AB)( AC ) cos 
AB x AC x  AB y AC y AB z AC z
cos  
( AB)( AC )

AB
 3.6iˆ  2.7 ˆj  0kˆ
AB  4.5

AC
 3.6iˆ  1.2 ˆj  1.8kˆ
AC  4.2

 3.6( 3.6)  ( 2.7)(1.2)  (0)(1.8)

cos  
4.5( 4.2)
  59.05 

b). 
FAC  
AB
 FAC ( AB ) cos 
FACx AB x  FACy AB y  FACz AB z  FAC on AB ( AB )
 
FAC  FAC u AC
   3.6iˆ  1.2 ˆ ˆ
j  1 .8 k 
FAC  945



 4.2 

FAC  810iˆ  270 ˆj  405k ˆ
Substituting
FACx AB x  FACy AB y  FACz AB z  FAC on AB ( AB)
 810( 3.6)  270( 2.7)  405(0)  FAC on AB (4.5)
FAC on AB  486 N

FAC on AB  FAC cos 

Note: FAC on AB  945 cos(59.09 )


FAC on AB  486 N