Topic: Vector Forces

Subject: Physics
Teacher: Ms I Seebachan

VECTOR FORCES

When forces are all acting in the same plane, they are called coplanar. These are parallel
forces acting in opposite direction or in the same direction.

When forces act at the same time and at the same point, they are called concurrent forces. (not
on syllabus)

Force is a vector quantity. It has both a magnitude and a direction. A vector can be represented
graphically by a line drawn to scale in the direction of the line of action of the force.

THE RESULTANT OF TWO COPLANAR FORCES

For two forces acting at a point:

• For forces acting in the same direction and having the same line of action, the single
force having the same effect as both of the forces, called the resultant force or just the
resultant. It is calculated by the arithmetic sum of the separate forces. Forces of F1 and
F2 acting at point P, as shown in figure 1(a) below, have exactly the same effect on point
P as force F shown in figure 1(b) below. F is called the resultant force and can also be
represented by R. F = F1+ F2 and acts in the same direction as F1 and F2. Thus F is the
resultant force of F1 and F2.

P ● F1 F2

Figure 1(a)

Forces acting in the same direction are added.

P ● F

(F1+ F2)

Figure 1(b)

• For forces acting in opposite directions along the same line of action, the resultant force
is the arithmetic difference between the two forces. Forces of F1 and F2 acting at point P
as shown in the figure 2(a) below have exactly the same effect on point P as force F as
shown in figure (b), where F = F2 - F1 and acts in the direction of F2, since F2 is greater
than F1. Thus, F is the resultant force of F1 and F2.
Topic: Vector Forces
Subject: Physics
Teacher: Ms I Seebachan

F1 ● F2
P

Figure 2(a)
For forces acting in the opposite direction, arithmetic difference is done.

The resultant acts in the direction of the larger force.

● F (F2 - F1)

Figure 2(b)

• When two forces do not have the same line of action, the magnitude and direction of the
resultant force may be found by a procedure called the vector addition of forces. There
are two graphical methods of performing vector addition, known as the triangle of forces
method (forces acting at right angles) and the parallelogram of forces method.

Problem 1: Determine the resultant force of two forces of 5kN and 8kN

(a) acting in the same direction and having the same line of action
(b) acting in the opposite direction but having the same line of action on a planar
surface.

Problem2: Determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant force of 15N acting
horizontally to the right from a point and another force of 20N acting vertically from
the point at right angles to each other. Use the triangle of forces method.
Topic: Vector Forces
Subject: Physics
Teacher: Ms I Seebachan
ADDING FORCES AT RIGHT ANGLES

When two forces F1 and F2 act at right angles to each other, their resultant force R can be found
by calculation.

Example: (adjacent)

O F1 A

(opposite)

R magnitude of AP= F2

F2

B P

When the force parallelogram is drawn, a rectangle OAPB is produced. The triangle OAP is a
right angled triangle with side AP of length equal to F2. Hence by Pythagoras’ theorem:

OP2= OA2 + AP2, from which the magnitude of the resultant R equal to OP can be calculated.

So for the resultant R:

Using Pythagoras’ theorem: hypotenuse2 = base2 + height2

Then R2= F12 + F22

Topic: Vector Forces
Subject: Physics
Teacher: Ms I Seebachan
The direction of the resultant R can be specified by the angle θ that is the angle between the
resultant force and one of the original forces. Angle θ is found by using the trigonometric ratio
tangent, where tan θ = opposite

adjacent

tan θ = AP

OA

Therefore tan θ= F2

F1

So the angle θ is the angle whose tangent is equal to F2/F1.

θ = tan -1(F2 / F1)

Problem 3: Two forces of 3N and 4N act at right angles at the same point on an object. 4N is the
horizontal component acting to the right and 3N is the vertical component acting downwards.

(1) Draw the resultant vector for the forces.

(2) Find the resultant force which is equal in magnitude and direction to the
combined effect of the two forces.
Topic: Vector Forces
Subject: Physics
Teacher: Ms I Seebachan

Problem 4: The diagram below (not drawn to scale) represents two forces acting perpendicular to
each other. Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant force.

5N

12N

Hint: the resultant force has a magnitude which is represented by the size of R found from using
Pythagoras’ theorem. The direction is indicated by the angle between the original force and the
resultant.