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2.f. Finding the Components of a Force

Components – two separate forces equal to a single force.
Resolution – it is the process of replacing a force with its components.
In order to determine the magnitude of each component of the force F along the a and b axes, the
following procedure is applied:
1. Construct a parallelogram by drawing lines starting from the tip of the force, a line parallel to a, and a line
parallel to b, intersecting the a and b axes.
2. Label the sides of the parallelogram as the force components Fa and Fb.
3. Apply the law of sines to one of the triangles to determine the unknown magnitudes of the components.
b b

F F
Fb
O O
a Fa a

SAMPLE PROBLEMS
1. Resolve the 800-kN force into two components: one along the y-axis and the other along the x’-axis.
y
800 kN

45
20
x
x
Solution: ’
a. Draw lines parallel to the given axes from the tip
of the given force to form a parallelogram.
y

F = 800 kN
Fy 
Fy
 
Fx’
x’

b. Determine the interior angles of one triangle.

 = 45° + 20° = 65
 = 90° – 20° = 70
 = 90° – 45° = 45.

c. Applying sine law, find the required components.

F F Fy
 x' 
sin α sin β sin θ
800 Fx' Fy
 
sin 70 sin 45 sin 65
Fx’ = 601.990 kN and Fy = 771.578 kN
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2. Determine the magnitudes of the components of the 80-lb force if it is resolved into components acting
along the a and b axes.
b

45
a
120

80
lb
Solution:
a. Extend the b-axis downward and the a-axis to the left.
From the tip of the force, draw lines parallel to the axes
to form the parallelogram.
b

Fa a
Fb

 
80 lb
b. Solve for the interior angles
 = 45
 = 180° – 120° = 60
 = 120° – 45° = 75
c. Apply sine law
80 Fa Fb
 
sin 45 sin 75 sin 60
Fa = 109.282 lb and Fb = 97.980 lb

3. The 500-N force is to be resolved into components along lines a-a’ and b-b’. If its component along a-a’ is
to be 375 N, determine the angle  and the corresponding value of the component along b-b’.
a
b
500 N
45 

a’ b’
a
Solution:
a. From the tip of the force, draw lines parallel to a-a’ and b-b’
to form a parallelogram. 45
b. Applying sine law, compute for . 375 N   500 N

375 500
 ,  = 32.03
sin β sin 45
Fb
c. Computing for α, we have  = 180° – (45° + 32.03°) = 102.97
d. Compute for Fb using sine law
Fb 500 b’
 , Fb = 689.067 N
sin α sin 45
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4. It is required that the resultant force acting on the eyebolt be directed along the positive x axis and that F2
have a minimum magnitude. Determine this magnitude, the angle θ, and the corresponding resultant force.
(Hibbeler, 2010)
F1 = 800 N

60º

F2
Solution:
a. Using the triangle rule, draw the forces.

F2
F1 = 800 N
60º θ

b. Since the magnitudes of F2 and R are unknown, F2 can be any vector that has its head touching the
line of action of R. F2 will be minimum when its line of action is perpendicular to R or when θ = 90º
(by inspection of the triangle drawn).

F1 = 800
F2
N
60º

R
c. Using the right triangle, solve for R and F2.
R  800cos 60 = 400 N
F2  800 sin 60 = 692.820 N

Alternate solution:
From sine law:
F2 F2 800
F1 = 800 N

60º θ sin 60 sin 
R 800 sin 60
F2 
sin 
692.82
F2 
sin 
dF2
F2 will be minimum if  0 ; hence,
d
dF2 sin  (0)  692.82 cos
 0
d sin 2 
From which cos θ = 0 or θ = 90º.