FORCE VECTORS

Vectors
Vector Quantities
Have both a magnitude and direction
Examples: Position, force, moment

Vector Notation
Vectors are given a variable, such as A or B
Handwritten notation usually includes an
arrow, such as
A or B
 Illustrating Vectors
Vectors are represented by arrows
Include magnitude, direction, and sense

Magnitude: The length of the line segment

Magnitude = 3

30°
+X
 Illustrating Vectors
Vectors are represented by arrows
Include magnitude, direction, and sense

Direction: The angle between a reference axis and the

arrow’s line of action
Direction = 30° counterclockwise from the
positive x-axis

30°
+x
 Illustrating Vectors
Vectors are represented by arrows
Include magnitude, direction, and sense

Sense: Indicated by the direction of the tip of the

arrow
Sense = Upward and to the right

30°
+x
 Illustrating Vectors
Vectors are represented by arrows
Include magnitude, direction, and sense

Sense: Indicated by the direction of the tip of the

arrow
Sense = Upward and to the right

30°
+x
Sense

+y (up) +y (up)

-x (left) +x (right)
(0,0)
-y (down) -y (down)

-x (left) +x (right)
Trigonometry Review
Right Triangle
A triangle with a 90° angle
Sum of all interior angles = 180°
Pythagorean Theorem: c2 = a2 + b2

Opposite Side
(opp)

 90°
Adjacent Side (adj)
Trigonometry Review
Trigonometric Functions soh cah toa
sin θ° = opp / hyp
cos θ° = adj / hyp
tan θ° = opp / adj

Opposite Side
(opp)

 90°
Adjacent Side (adj)
Trigonometry Application
The hypotenuse is the Magnitude of the Force, F
In the figure here,
The adjacent side is the x-component, Fx
The opposite side is the y-component, Fy

Opposite Side
Fy

 90°

Adjacent Side Fx
 Trigonometry Application
sin θ° = Fy / F
Fy= F sin θ°
cos θ° = Fx / F
Fx= F cos θ°
tan θ° = Fy / Fx

Opposite Side
Fy

 90°

Adjacent Side Fx

Fx and Fy are negative if left or down, respectively.

 Vector X and Y Components
Vector A
Magnitude = 75.0 lb
Direction = 35.0°CCW from positive x-axis

+y Sense = right, up

A = 75.0 lb
opp = FAy

35.0°
-x +x
adj = FAx
-y
 Vector X and Y Components
Solve for FAx
adj FAx FAx
cos θ = cos θ = cos 35.0° =
hyp A 75.0 lb

FAx = 75.0 lb cos 35.0° up

+y

FAx = 61.4 lb
A = 75.0 lb
opp = FAy

35.0°
-x +x
adj = FAx
-y
 Vector X and Y Components
Solve for FAy
opp FAy FAy
sin θ = sin θ = sin 35.0° =
hyp 75.0 lb
A
FAy = 75.0 lb sin 35.0° up
+y

FAy = 43.0 lb
A = 75.0 lb
opp = FAy

35.0°
-x +x
adj = FAx
-y
Vector X and Y Components – Your Turn
Vector B
Magnitude = 75.0 lb
Direction = 35.0°CW from positive x-axis
+y
Sense = right, down
adj = FBx
-x +x
35.0°

opp = FBy

B = 75.0 lb
-y
Vector X and Y Components – Your Turn
Solve for FBx
adj FBx F Bx
cos θ = cos θ = cos 35.0° =
hyp B 75.0 lb
+y
FBx = 75.0 lb cos 35.0° right

adj = FBx FBx = 61.4 lb

-x +x
35.0°

opp = FBy

B = 75.0 lb
-y
Vector X and Y Components – Your Turn
Solve for FBy
opp −FBy −FBy
sin θ = sin θ = sin 35.0° =
hyp B 75.0 lb
+y
FBy = 75.0 lb sin 35.0° down

adj = FBx FBy = −43.0 lb

-x +x
35.0°

opp = FBy

B = 75.0 lb
-y
Resultant Force
Two people are pulling a boat to shore. They
are pulling with the same magnitude.

A = 75.0 lb

  35.0
  35.0

B = 75.0 lb
 Resultant Force List the forces according to
sense.
FAy = 43.0 lb A = 75.0 lb
Label right and up forces as
positive, and label left and
down forces as negative.

  35 FAx = 61.4 lb Fx

FAx = +61.4 lb
  35 FBx = 61.4 lb FBx = +61.4 lb
Fy
FAy = +43.0 lb
FBy = −43.0 lb
FBy = −43.0 lb
B = 75.0 lb
Resultant Force
Sum (S) the forces
Fx
FAx = +61.4 lb ෍ Fx = FAx + FBx
FBx = +61.4 lb
෍ Fx = 61.436 lb + 61.436 lb
Fy
FAy = +43.0 lb ෍ Fx = 122.9 lb (right)
FBy = −43.0 lb
෍ Fy = FAy + FBy

෍ Fy = 43.018 lb + (− 43.018 lb) = 0

Magnitude is 122.9 lb
Direction is 0° from the positive x-axis
Sense is right
 Resultant Force
Draw the resultant force (FR )

Magnitude is 123 lb
Direction is 0° from the positive x-axis
FAy = 43.0 lb Sense is right

FAx = 61.4 lb
FR = 122.9 lb
FBx = 61.4 lb

FBy = −43.0 lb
Resultant Force
C = 300 lb

Determine the sense,

magnitude, and
direction for the
  60.
resultant force.
  30.

D = 400 lb
Resultant Force
Find the x and y components of vector C.

FCx = 300 lb cos 60° right

C = 300 lb FCx = 150 lb
FCy
FCy = 300 lb sin 60° up
60.
FCy = 260 lb
F Cx
Resultant Force
Find the x and y components of vector D.

FDx FDx = 400 lb cos 30° right

30.
FDx = 350 lb
FDy
D = 400 lb FDy = 400 lb sin 30° down
FDy = −200 lb
 Resultant Force List the forces according to
sense.
Label right and up forces as
FCy = 259.8 lb C = 300 lb
positive, and label left and
down forces as negative.

  60 Fx
FCx = 150.0 lb
FCx = +150.0 lb
  30 FDx = 346.4 lb FDx = +346.4 lb
Fy
FDy = −200.0 lb D = 400 lb FCy = +259.8 lb
FDy = −200.0 lb
 Resultant Force
Sum (S) the forces
Fx
FCx = +150.0 lb
FDx = +346.4 lb ෍ Fx = FCx + FDx

෍ Fx = 150.0 lb + 346.4 lb = 496.4 lb (right)

Fy
FCy = +259.8 lb ෍ Fy = FCy + FDy
FDy = −200.0 lb
෍ Fy = 259.8 lb + −200.0 lb = 59.8 lb (up)

Sense is right and up.

 Resultant Force
Draw the x and y components of the resultant force.

σ Fx = 496.4 lb (right) σ Fy = 59.8 lb up

Two equivalent ways to draw the X and Y components

FR 496.4 lb
59.8 lb 59.8 lb
FR
496.4 lb
 Resultant Force
Solve for magnitude.

a2 + b2 = c 2
FR
59.8 lb
(59.8 lb)2 +(496.4 lb)2 = FR 2
496.4 lb
59.8 lb 2 + 496.4 lb 2 = FR

FR = 500.0 lb

Magnitude is 500. lb
Resultant Force
Solve for direction.
opp
tan  
adj

59.8 lb
500. lb tan  
59.8 lb 496.4 lb
 1 
59.8 
  tan  
496.4 lb  496.4 

  7

Direction is 7° counterclockwise from the positive x-axis.