MODULE 2

FORCES AND MOMENTS

This module will be covering analysis of forces
and moments of forces as they take effect in
systems with two or three dimensions.
used in mechanics in order to simplify the application of the theory and to represent physical phenomena
into mathematical representations (assumptions)

1
PARTICLE. The principles of mechanics reduce bodies to a rather
simplified form or particles since its geometry will not be involved
in the analysis of the problem. In short, size is neglected.

RIGID BODY. This is an assumption that the particles of any body

2 shall remain fixed despite the application of a force. It neglects the

reality of deformation.

3
CONCENTRATED FORCE. This represents the effect of a loading
or a force applied which is assumed to act at a point on a body.
The area of contact is neglected.
 FORCE
the mechanical interaction between bodies that causes a tendency of equilibrium or motion

RESULTANT FORCE 𝑭𝑹
a force that creates the same effect to a system or
body to that of a number of forces acting at the same
point (𝑭𝑹 )

COMPONENT FORCES
forces that contribute to the magnitude of the resultant
(𝑭𝟏 , 𝑭𝟐 ,and 𝑭𝟑 )
Angled Form Rise-Run Form

50 lb
40 lb

Grid Form Cartesian Vector Form

these are forces comprising an inclined or a single/resultant force

TWO(2) TYPES OF FORCE COMPONENTS

Force components with
respect to the horizontal(x)
and vertical(y) axes

Force components with

respect to a specified axis
or axes

NOTE: The location of the axis

nomenclature signifies the
positive side of a specific axis.
these are forces comprising an inclined or a single/resultant force

TWO(2) TYPES OF FORCE COMPONENTS

Force components with

respect to the horizontal(x)
and vertical(y) axes

Applicable Trigonometric and Pythagorean Identities

Scalar Representation

Vector Representation
NOTE: The sign convention for
component forces follows the positive and
negative system of the Cartesian Plane.
Two people apply forces to push a child’s play structure resting on a patio. The woman at A applies a force in the
negative 𝒂 direction and the man at B applies a force in the 𝒃 direction, with the goal of producing a resultant force of
250N in the 𝒄 direction.
a) Determine the forces the two people must apply in Scenario 1.
b) Determine the forces the two people must apply in Scenario 2 given the changes in the direction of the push.

Scenario 1 Scenario 2
a force that creates the same effect to a system or body to that of a number of forces acting at the same
point (𝑭𝑹 )

7 PRINCIPLE OF PHYSICAL
INDEPENDENCE OF FORCE
states that if a number of forces are simultaneously acting on a
particle/system, then the resultant of these forces will have the
same effect as produced by all the forces
𝑭𝑹
COMPOSITION OF FORCES (Compounding of Forces)
process of finding out the resultant force of a number of given forces

METHODS IN SOLVING FOR THE RESULTANT OF

FORCES

Resolution of
Forces

Triangle Law Parallelogram Law

COMPOSITION OF FORCES (Compounding of Forces)
process of finding out the resultant force of a number of given forces

METHODS IN SOLVING FOR THE RESULTANT OF

FORCES
Cosine Law

𝑹= 𝑭𝟐𝟏 + 𝑭𝟐𝟐 − 𝟐𝑭𝟏 𝑭𝟐 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜶

Triangle Law Sine Law Parallelogram Law

𝑹 𝑭𝟏 𝑭𝟐
= =
𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜶 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜷 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽
COMPOSITION OF FORCES (Compounding of Forces)
process of finding out the resultant force of a number of given forces

RESULTANT FORCE REPRESENTATION

Scalar Form Cartesian Vector

Form
The forces F1, F2, and F3 which act on point A of the bracket are specified in three different ways as shown
in the figure below. Compute for the resultant force at point A by method of resolution. Show the
components of each force and indicate your final answer both in Scalar and Vector Forms.
a state where particle/system would remain at rest when subjected to set of
forces

CONDITION OF EQUILIBRIUM
the term “equilibrium” or, more specifically, “static equilibrium” is used to
describe an object at rest and to be able to maintain equilibrium

necessary to satisfy Newton’s first law of motion, which requires the resultant
force acting on a particle to be equal to zero

can be best represented by showing the active and reactive forces in a

specific body/system through free-body diagrams
 SAMPLE FREE-BODY DIAGRAMS

R R

Spring Cable and Pulley Smooth/Frictionless

Contact
Draw the free-body diagram of the following components of the given force system:
a) Ball
b) Knot C
c) Pulley B
d) Support D
e) Support A
PROCEDURE OF ANALYSIS
Step 1 : Apply method of drawing free-body diagrams.
Step 2 : Apply equilibrium conditions ( 𝑭𝒙 = 𝟎 & 𝑭𝒚 = 𝟎).
Step 3 : Solve for the unknown forces or angles.

LAMI’S THEOREM
states that if three coplanar forces acting at a point to be in equilibrium, then each
force is proportional to the sine of the angle between the other two
An electric light fixture weighting 15 N hangs from a point C, by two strings AC and BC. The string AC is
inclined at 60° to the horizontal and BC at 45° to the horizontal as shown in the figure. Solve for the tension
forces acting on cables AC and BC using (a) Analytic Method and (b) Lami’s Theorem.
The gusset plate is subjected to the forces of four members. Determine the force in member B and its
proper orientation θ for equilibrium. The forces are concurrent at point O. Take F = 12 kN.
measure of a turning effect of a force to a system or the tendency of a
body to rotate with respect to a point/axis(Torque)

𝑴=𝑭𝑥𝒅
𝑭 = 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆
𝒅 = 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆′ 𝒔
𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝑹𝑬𝑭𝑬𝑹𝑬𝑵𝑪𝑬 𝑷𝑶𝑰𝑵𝑻
/𝑨𝑿𝑰𝑺

CHARACTERISTICS OF A MOMENT
Force Magnitude
Moment Arm
Sense of Rotation (Direction of Rotation)
Reference Point/Axis
MOMENT TYPES
Clockwise Counterclockwise

NOTE:
The sign convention for moments
shall follow POSITIVE for Clockwise
and NEGATIVE for Counterclockwise.

VARIGNON’S PRINCIPLE OF MOMENTS (OR LAW OF MOMENTS)

If a number of coplanar forces are acting simultaneously on a particle, the algebraic sum of the
moments of all the forces about any point is equal to the moment of their resultant force about the
same point.

APPROACHES IN MOMENT EVALUATION

Scalar Approach Vector Approach
Determine the moment about point O in the given systems.
Determine the moment about point O in the given system.
The tool at A is used to hold a power lawnmower blade stationary while the nut is being loosened with the
wrench. If a force of 50 N is applied to the wrench at B in the direction shown, determine the (a)moment it
creates about the nut at C. (b) What is the magnitude of force F at A so that it creates the opposite moment
about C?
COUPLE
forces equal in magnitude, with lines of action parallel to
each other and acting in opposite directions 𝒂 = 𝑨𝒓𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒑𝒍𝒆

TYPES
Clockwise
Anticlockwise (Counterclockwise)

A couple (whether clockwise or anticlockwise) has the following characteristics :

1. The algebraic sum of the forces, constituting the couple, is zero.
2. The algebraic sum of the moments of the forces, constituting the couple, about any point is the
same, and equal to the moment of the couple itself.
3. A couple cannot be balanced by a single force. But it can be balanced only by a couple of opposite
sense.
4. Any number of coplanar couples can be reduced to a single couple, whose magnitude will be equal
to the algebraic sum of the moments of all the couples.
ABCD is rectangle, in which AB = CD = 100 mm and BC = DA = 80 mm. Forces of 100 N and -100 N each
act along AB and CD respectively and forces of 50 N and -50 N each at along BC and DA respectively.
Find the resultant moment of the two couples.
Two couples act on the beam with the geometry shown. Find the magnitude of F so that the resultant
couple moment is 1.5 kN-m clockwise.
Systems in three dimensions involve three axes as shown below:

x-axis : abscissa
y-axis : ordinate
z-axis : applicate

Application of Trigonometric Identities

in resolving components of a
three-dimensional force
Direction of three-dimensional forces
𝑹𝒙
𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝜽𝒙 =
𝑹
𝑹𝒚 NOTE:
𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜽𝒚 = The sum of the squares of the cosines
𝑹 of each directional angle should be
equal to 1.
𝑹𝒛
𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜽𝒛 =
𝑹

Magnitude of the resultant, 𝑹

𝑹= 𝑹𝟐𝒙 + 𝑹𝟐𝒚 + 𝑹𝟐𝒛

Components of the resultant in Vector Form

𝑹 = 𝑅𝑥 𝒊 + 𝑅𝑦 𝒋 + 𝑅𝑧 𝒌
Analysis of Three-Dimensional Forces by Vectors
STEP 1: Create the position vector, 𝒓. 𝒓 = 𝑟𝑥 𝒊 + 𝑟𝑦 𝒋 + 𝑟𝑧 𝒌
(Start from the tail to head)
STEP 2: Create the unit vector, 𝒖. 𝑟𝑥 𝒊 + 𝑟𝑦 𝒋 + 𝑟𝑧 𝒌
𝒖=
(Considering the hypotenuse of the ) 𝒓
STEP 3: Create the force vector, 𝑭.
𝑟𝑥 𝒊 + 𝑟𝑦 𝒋 + 𝑟𝑧 𝒌
(Considering the position hypotenuse) 𝑭 = 𝑷𝑥
𝒓
Given two specified points, the force vector follows the form below:
Which of the following correctly defines the 500 N force that passes from A(4,0,3) to B(0,6,0)?
a) 256i – 384j + 192k N
b) - 256i + 384j - 192k N
c) - 384i + 192j - 256k N
d) 384i - 192j + 256k N
Determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant force acting on the pipe assembly in (a) Scalar and
(b) Vector Form.
Determine the magnitude and coordinate direction angles of the resultant force acting at A.
Conditions for Equilibrium

Procedure of Analysis
STEP 1: Create the free-body diagram of the system and establish the x, y, and z axes.
STEP 2: Label all unknown forces and assume corresponding directions.
STEP 3: Apply equilibrium conditions (for scalar analysis).
Use Cartesian Vector forms (for vector analysis) of components, if needed.
STEP 4: Solve equations simultaneously.

NOTE: For forces that yield a negative value, the direction is the opposite of the assumption.
Determine the magnitude of forces F1, F2, and F3 so that the particle is held in equilibrium.
Determine the tension developed in cables AB, AC, and AD.
If the bucket and its contents have a total weight of 20 lb, determine the force in the supporting cables DA,
DB, and DC.
MOMENT OF FORCES IN 3D
Applies the same procedure of analysis for resultant of forces in three dimensional systems in vector
form

can be represented by a the cross product of 𝑟(𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟) and 𝐹 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑉𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟

𝑴= 𝒓𝐗𝑭
cross products can also be written in Matrix Form
Note: As an identity of CROSS
PRODUCTS, 𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐹 are non-commutative.
MATRIX SIMPLIFICATION

Components of a Moment Resultant

MOMENT RESULTANT
Applies the same Pythagorean Theorem and Direction Cosines

REMEMBER:
DOT PRODUCT ( ) CROSS PRODUCT ( X )

Positive Negative
Compute the moment of force of the position vector (1.200,–3.50, 5.22) m and the force vector (240, 350,
500) N. What is the magnitude of this moment of force with respect to the origin?
A force of 40 lb is applied at A to the handle of the control lever which is attached to the fixed shaft OB.
Solve for the resultant force with respect to point O.
Determine the moment produced by force FB and FC (a) individually and (b) together about point O.
Express the result as a Cartesian vector.
Determine the magnitude and direction of the couple M which will replace the two given couples and still
produce the same external effect on the block. Specify the two forces F and F, applied in the two faces of
the block parallel to the y-z plane, which may replace the four given forces. The 30-N forces act parallel to
the y-z plane.
 MODULE 2 | Forces and Moments

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the chapter, the learners should be able to:

Identify the basic principles being applied in analysis of forces and moments of forces in 2D and
3D systems;

Apply problem solving skills and idealizations in computing 2D and 3D force and moment
problems; and

Analyze force systems and compute problems involving forces and moments in 2D and 3D.