Statics of rigid bodies

FORCES IN SPACE

Engr. Felix Paul c.Rabago

Instructor i
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A FORCE
IN SPACE
Consider a force F acting at the
origin O of the system of
rectangular coordinates x, y, z. To
define the direction of F , we
draw the vertical plane OBAC
containing F
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A FORCE
IN SPACE
This plane passes through the
vertical y axis; its orientation is
defined by the angle Φ it forms
with the xy plane. The direction
of F within the plane is defined
by the angle θ𝑦 that F forms with
the y axis.
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A FORCE
IN SPACE
The force F may be resolved into
a vertical component F y and a
horizontal component F h ; this
operation, is carried out in plane
OBAC according to the rules
developed in the first part of the
chapter. The corresponding scalar
components are
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A FORCE IN
SPACE

But F h may be resolved into two

rectangular components F x and F z
along the x and z axes, respectively.
This operation, shown in Fig. 2.30 c
, is carried out in the xz plane. We
obtain the following expressions for
the corresponding scalar
components:
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A FORCE
IN SPACE
The given force F has thus been resolved
into three rectangular vector components F
x , F y , F z , which are directed along the
three coordinate axes.
Applying the Pythagorean theorem to the
triangles OAB and OCD of Fig. 2.30 , we
write
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A FORCE IN SPACE

Eliminating 𝐹 2 h from these two equations and solving for F ,

we obtain the following relation between the magnitude of F
and its rectangular scalar components:
FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A
FORCE IN SPACE

The relationship existing between the

force F and its three components F x , F
y , F z is more easily visualized if a
“box” having F x , F y , F z for edges is
drawn as shown in Fig. 2.31 . The force
F is then represented by the diagonal
OA of this box.
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A
FORCE IN SPACE

Figure 2.31 b shows the right triangle

OAB used to derive the first of the
formulas F y = F cos θy . In Fig. 2.31 a
and c , two other right triangles have
also been drawn: OAD and OAE.
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A
FORCE IN SPACE
These triangles are seen to occupy in
the box positions comparable with that
of triangle OAB. Denoting by θ x and θ
z , respectively, the angles that F forms
with the x and z axes, we can derive
two formulas similar to F y = F cos θ y.
We thus write (2.19)
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A
FORCE IN SPACE
The three angles θ x , θ y , θ z define
the direction of the force F ; they are
more commonly used for this purpose
than the angles u y and f introduced at
the beginning of this section. The
cosines of θ x , θ y , θ z are known as
the direction cosines of the force F .
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A
FORCE IN SPACE
Introducing the unit vectors i , j , and k
, directed respectively along the x , y ,
and z axes ( Fig. 2.32 ), we can express
F in the form

where the scalar components F x , F y ,

F z are defined by the relations
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A
FORCE IN SPACE
• The angle a force F forms with an axis should be measured
from the positive side of the axis and will always be
between 0 and 180°. An angle u x smaller than 90° (acute)
indicates that F (assumed attached to O ) is on the same
side of the yz plane as the positive x axis; cos θx and F x will
then be positive. An angle θx larger than 90° (obtuse)
indicates that F is on the other side of the yz plane; cos θx
and F x will then be negative. Substituting into (2.20) the
expressions obtained for F x , F y , F z in (2.19), we write
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A
FORCE IN SPACE
which shows that the force F can be expressed as the product
of the scalar F and the vector
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A
FORCE IN SPACE
Clearly, the vector l is a vector whose
magnitude is equal to 1 and whose
direction is the same as that of F ( Fig.
2.33 ). The vector l is referred to as the
unit vector along the line of action of F
. It follows from (2.22) that the
components of the unit vector l are
respectively equal to the direction
cosines of the line of action of F :
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A
FORCE IN SPACE
We should observe that the values of the three angles
θx , θy , θz are not independent. Recalling that the sum
of the squares of the components of a vector is equal to
the square of its magnitude, we write
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A
FORCE IN SPACE
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A
FORCE IN SPACE
Example 1. A force of 500 N forms angles of 60°, 45°, and
120°, respectively, with the x , y , and z axes. Find the
components F x , F y , and F z of the force.
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A
FORCE IN SPACE
Example 2. A force F has the components F x = 20 lb, F y = 230
lb, F z =60 lb. Determine its magnitude F and the angles θx ,
θy , θz it forms with the coordinate axes.
 FORCES IN SPACE
FORCE DEFINED BY ITS MAGNITUDE AND
TWOPOINTS ON ITS LINE OF ACTION
In many applications, the direction of a force F is defined by
the coordinates of two points, M ( x 1 , y 1 , z 1 ) and N ( x 2 , y
2 , z 2 ), located on its line of action ( Fig. 2.34 ). Consider the
vector MN joining M and N
 FORCES IN SPACE
FORCE DEFINED BY ITS MAGNITUDE AND
TWOPOINTS ON ITS LINE OF ACTION
 FORCES IN SPACE
FORCE DEFINED BY ITS MAGNITUDE AND
TWOPOINTS ON ITS LINE OF ACTION
 FORCES IN SPACE
FORCE DEFINED BY ITS MAGNITUDE AND
TWOPOINTS ON ITS LINE OF ACTION
 FORCES IN SPACE
FORCE DEFINED BY ITS MAGNITUDE AND
TWOPOINTS ON ITS LINE OF ACTION
 FORCES IN SPACE
ADDITION OF CONCURRENT FORCES
IN SPACE
 FORCES IN SPACE
ADDITION OF CONCURRENT FORCES
IN SPACE
 FORCES IN SPACE
ADDITION OF CONCURRENT FORCES
IN SPACE
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A
FORCE IN SPACE

Example 3. A tower guy wire is anchored by

means of a bolt at A. The tension in the wire is
2500 N. Determine ( a ) the components F x , F
y , F z of the force acting on the bolt, ( b ) the
angles u x , u y , u z defining the direction of
the force.
 FORCES IN SPACE
RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF A
FORCE IN SPACE

Example 3. A wall section of precast

concrete is temporarily held by the
cables shown. Knowing that the tension
is 840 lb in cable AB and 1200 lb in cable
AC , determine the magnitude and
direction of the resultant of the forces
exerted by cables AB and AC on stake A.