Force Systems in Space

The magnitude and direction of the resultant is specified by the summations

of the components of the forces comprising the system.
The position of the resultant may be determined from the moment effect of
the system.
The Three Mutually Perpendicular Components of a Force
Y

Fy

θy
F
θx
θz X
Fx

Fz

Resultant of three mutually perpendicular forces

F = √ Fx 2 + Fy 2 + Fz 2
Fx = Fcosθx Fy = Fcosθy Fz = Fcosθz

or or or

Fx Fy Fz
cosθx = ------- cosθy = ------- cosθz = -------
F F F

The cosines of the angles θx, θy, and θz are defined as the direction cosines of
the force.

Fx Fy Fz F
------- = ------ = ------ = -------
x y z d

d = √ x2 + y2 + z2

The resultant of a system of concurrent space forces is found similar to that

used for coplanar concurrent forces. The X, Y, and Z components of the
resultant are equal to the algebraic summations of the X, Y, and Z
components of the forces composing the system.
Practice Problems

1. Determine the magnitude of the resultant, its pointing, and its direction
cosines for the following system of non-coplanar, concurrent forces.
F = 100N (+2, +3, +4); P = 300N (-3, -4, +5); T = 200N (0, 0, +4).

2. Three concurrent forces F, P and T have a resultant of 50N directed to the

right, up and forward at x = 60o, y = 60o and z = 45o.
F = 200N and passes through the origin and the point (+2, +1, +4). P = 200N
and it passes through the point (+5, +2, +3). Determine the magnitude of the
third force T, its pointing and the angles it makes with the reference axes.