UNIVERSITY OF NUEVA CACERES COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

Week 1: Fundamental Concepts

I. Introduction
Engineering Mechanics is the science that focuses on the effects of forces once applied on a body.
It is divided in to three: Mechanics of Rigid Bodies, Mechanics of Deformable Bodies and
Mechanics of Fluids. Mechanics of rigid bodies ____can be subdivided to Statics which are dealing
with bodies at rest and Dynamics with bodies in motion.

The concepts of Mechanics are assumed based on axioms. These axioms are facts which cannot
be proved and have no equivalent mathematical computation but can be demonstrated to be
true, these are often called as the Fundamental Axioms of Mechanics.
1. Two forces can have an equivalent one single force which is the resultant. This
resultant can be formed by applying the Parallelogram Law
2. Two forces of the same magnitude, collinear in action and opposite direction are in
equilibrium.
3. The effect on the original force system acted upon by a set of forces are unchanged
if added by set of forces which are in equilibrium.
4. Action and Reaction forces are equal in magnitude but oppositely directed.

II. Objectives
After completion of this course the student should be able to:

1. Determine the concepts on Engineering Mechanics.

2. Discuss the principles of parallelogram law, triangle law, and the Polygon rule.
3. Solve the components of the forces.

III. Definition

The following terms and its definition are the basic concepts commonly used in the study of
Mechanics:

Particle. A particle is a very small amount of matter assumed to be occupying a single point.
Rigid Body. A rigid body is a combination of many particles occupying fixed positions with respect
to each other. The deformations due to applied forces on rigid bodies are too small or almost
negligible.
Space. The position in space is from a reference called as origin measured in three direction with
respect to x, y and z axes.
Time. It refers to the time the event happens. The unit is second (s) or hour (hr).
Mass. The mass is used to characterize and compare bodies.
Scalar Quantity. A scalar quantity possesses magnitude only and can be added arithmetically.
Vector Quantity. A vector quantity has magnitude and direction. This can be combined only by
vector addition.

5 STATICS OF RIGID BODIES v.1.0 BY CHARMAINE P. NARVADEZ

UNIVERSITY OF NUEVA CACERES COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

IV. Force

A force is either a push or pull of one body to

another. It tends to move or stop an object and
is represented by a vector. It has external effect
as it changes the state of rest or motion of the
body and internal effect as it produces stresses
and deformations. The unit of force is Newton
(N) or kilo Newton (kN) in SI and pound (lbs) in
English. Force is characterized by its magnitude
– represented by the segment of the line, point
of application – where the force is assumed to
be acting, line of action - infinite straight line
along where the force acts and sense –
direction of arrowhead as shown in Figure 1. 1
Figure 1. 1 Force

V. Force Systems

Any arrangement of two or more forces that are applied on a body or group of interrelated bodies
is called Force System. This is classified as Coplanar and Non-Coplanar Force System. If the lines
of action of the forces are lying on the same plane it is considered as Coplanar Force System,
otherwise, Non-Coplanar.

Force Systems shown in Figure 1. 2 is further classified on the basis of the lines of action of forces.
It is a Concurrent Force System when the lines of action are intersecting on a common point and
if the lines of action of the forces are parallel to each other it is considered as Parallel Force
System. Sometime lines of action are neither intersect on a common point nor parallel to each
other then it is considered as a Non-Concurrent Force System .

Figure 1. 2 Classification of Force Systems

STATICS OF RIGID BODIES v.1.0 BY CHARMAINE P. NARVADEZ 6

UNIVERSITY OF NUEVA CACERES COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

A. Parallelogram Law
Parallelogram Law states that the resultant of two
forces can be drawn equivalent to the diagonal of the
parallelogram formed having sides equal to the given
forces.

In Figure 1. 3, Force T and S are acting at particle “a”.

These two forces can be replaced by a one single
force R that will produce same effect. This force R
can be formed by drawing the sides of the
parallelogram as Force T and S as its adjacent sides
including their free vectors. The diagonal that is
passing through the particle is equivalent to the
resultant. Figure 1. 3 Parallelogram Law

B. Triangle Law
Another way of getting the sum of two vectors is by
applying the Triangle Law. Force T and S in Figure 1.
4 is arranged in a tip-to-tail direction. The tail of Force
S, second vector, is connected to the tip of Force T,
first vector. The resultant is formed by connecting
the tail of first vector, which is Force T, to the tip of
the last vector, Force S. In Triangle Law, the resultant
is equivalent to the third side the triangle formed by
connecting the two vectors in tip-to-tail direction.
Figure 1. 4 Triangle Law

C. Polygon Rule
The resultant of more than two vectors can be done by getting first the sum of any two vectors
which will then be added to the third vector until only one vector is left. Figure 1. 5 (a) shows how
the four Forces S, T, U and V will be combined to get their resultant. In Figure 1. 5(b), Force T and
S is combined to get their resultant R1 which will then be added to Force U. The resultant of R1
and U which is R2 in Figure 1. 5 (c) will then be combined with Force V to arrive with one single
force which is the resultant R of the four forces shown in Figure 1. 5 (d). From this, we can write
the equation, R1 = S + T, R2 = R1 + U, R = R2 + V thus R = S + T + U + V. This four forces will yield the
same result even if we combine U and V first, next is T then S. It only means that the adding is
associative that regardless of the order. It will give the same result.

Figure 1. 5 Polygon Rule

7 STATICS OF RIGID BODIES v.1.0 BY CHARMAINE P. NARVADEZ

UNIVERSITY OF NUEVA CACERES COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

D. Components of the Force

The force R can be resolved into components. In
Figure 1. 5, Forces S, T, U and V are components of
R. The resultant may also be resolved into its
rectangular components using the Cartesian
Coordinate System. The resultant R has its
horizontal component, Rx, and vertical component,
Ry. Using sine, cosine, and tangent of the angle
formed by R with respect to the x axis, the
components can be determined and its direction
using the following equations:

sin Ꝋ = eq 1. 1
cos Ꝋ = eq 1. 2
Figure 1. 6 Components of the Force
tan Ꝋ = eq 1. 3
𝑅= (𝑅𝑥) + (𝑅𝑦) eq 1. 4

The last equation is used to compute for the magnitude if the components are known. As to the
direction it is identified by considering the signs of the components, whether the x and y
components are positive (+) or negative (–). The components are considered positive if when
drawn are lying on the positive x and y axes, otherwise, negative. The direction of the Forces are
dependent on where the components are directed like what is shown in Figure 1. 7.

Figure 1. 7 Direction of the Force

STATICS OF RIGID BODIES v.1.0 BY CHARMAINE P. NARVADEZ 8

UNIVERSITY OF NUEVA CACERES COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

Example 1.1 Solving the Components of the Force

Determine the x and y components of each of the forces shown.

Solution:

Example 1.2 Solving the Components of the Force

Determine the x and y components of each of the forces shown.

Solution:

9 STATICS OF RIGID BODIES v.1.0 BY CHARMAINE P. NARVADEZ

UNIVERSITY OF NUEVA CACERES COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

Example 1.3 Solving the Components of the Force

Determine the x and y components of each of the forces shown.

Solution:

Example 1.4 Solving the Components of the Force

Determine the x and y components of each of the forces shown.

Solution:

STATICS OF RIGID BODIES v.1.0 BY CHARMAINE P. NARVADEZ 10