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FORCES IN SPACE
(Non-coplanar System of Forces)
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Forces in space
A Force in space: A Force is said to be in space if its line of
action makes an angle α, β and γ with respect to rectangular
co-ordinate axes X, Y and Z respectively as shown the Fig. 1.

F Fig. 1. A Force in space

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Forces in space
Noncoplanar system of forces (Forces in Space) and
Their Classifications
System of forces which do not lie in a single plane is called noncoplanar
system of forces(Forces in space ). A typical noncoplanar system
of forces (forces in space) is shown in the Fig. 2. below

Fig. 2 Forces in space (noncoplanar system of forces)

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Forces in space

Noncoplanar system of forces(Forces in space) can be

broadly classified into three categories. They are

1. Concurrent noncoplanar system of forces

2. Nonconcurrent noncoplanar system of forces
3. Noncoplanar parallel system of forces
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Forces in space

1. Concurrent noncoplanar system of forces: Forces which

meet at a point with their lines of action do not lie in a
plane are called “Concurrent noncoplanar system of
forces”. A typical system of Concurrent noncoplanar
system of forces is shown in the Fig.3.

Fig. 3. Concurrent noncoplanar system of forces

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Forces in space
2. Nonconcurrent noncoplanar system of forces: Forces
which do not meet at a point and their lines of action do not
lie in a plane, such forces are called “Nonconcurrent
noncoplanar system of forces”. A typical system of
nonconcurrent noncoplanar system of forces is shown in the
Fig.4.

Fig. 4. Nonconcurrent noncoplanar system of forces

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Forces in space
3. Noncoplanar parallel system of forces: If lines of action of all
the forces in a system are parallel and they do not lie in a
plane such a system is called Non-coplanar parallel system
of forces. If all the forces are pointing in one direction then
they are called Like parallel forces otherwise they are called
unlike parallel forces as shown in the Fig.5.

Fig. 5 Noncoplanar parallel system of forces

 Rectangular Components in
Space

 
• The F
vector • F
Resolve Fh
• Resolve
is contained into horizontal into rectangular
in the plane and vertical components
OBAC. components. Fx  Fh cos 
Fh  F sin  y  F sin  y cos 

Fy  F cos y F y  Fh sin 
 F sin  y sin 
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Rectangular components of a force in space

Fig. 6. Resolving a force in space into rectangular components

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Forces in space
  Rectangular components of a force in space
In the Fig.6(a) a force F is acting at the origin O of the system
of rectangular coordinate axes X,Y,Z. Consider OBAC plane
passing through the force F. This plane makes an angle  with
respect to XOY plane. Force F makes an angle θy with
respect to Y-axis.

Fig.6(a)
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Forces in space
   Rectangular components of a force in space

Fig.6(b)

In the Fig.6(b), the force F is resolved in the vertical (Y- axis) and
horizontal direction (X – axis) as
Fy = F Cosy and
Fh = F Siny respectively. 
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Forces in space
   Rectangular components of a force in space

Fig.6(c)

In the Fig 6(c) the horizontal component Fh is again resolved in the X and
Z axes directions. These components are
Fx = Fh cos = F siny cos
Fz = Fh Sin = F siny sin
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Now applying Pythagorean theorem to the triangles OAB

and OCD
F2 = (OA)2 = OB2 + BA2 = Fy2 +Fh2 ----------------(1)
 

Fh2 = OC2 = OD2 + DC2 = Fx2 +Fz2 ----------------(2)

 

Substituting equation (2) into the equation (1), we get

 

F2 = Fx2 +Fy2 + Fz2

F =  Fx2 + Fy2 + Fz2 ----------------(3)
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Forces in space
The relationship existing between the force F and its three components Fx,
Fy, Fz is more easily visualized if a box having Fx, Fy, Fz for edges is drawn
as shown below. The force F is then represented by the original OA of this
box.

Fig. 7 Relationship between Force F and its components Fx, Fy and Fz

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From the above Figure (Fig. 7)

 
Fx = F Cos x, Fy = F Cosy, Fz = F Cosz ------------(4)

Where x, y, z are the angles formed by the force F with X, Y, Z axes respectively
 Fx,Fy,Fz are the rectangular components of the force F in the directions of X, Y, Z
axes respectively.
 
Cos x = Fx/F; Cosy = Fy/F; Cosz = Fz/F
 
Substituting equation (4) into the equation (3), we get

F =  Fx2 + Fy2 + Fz2

 
F =  F2Cos2x + F2Cos2y + F2Cos2z
F2 = F2 ( Cos2x + Cos2y + Cos2z )
 
1 = Cos2x + Cos2y + Cos2z -------------(5)
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Force Defined by its magnitude and two points on its line of action

From the adjacent Fig. 8.

 
dx= d Cos x, dy = d Cosy,
dz = d Cosz
----(6)
 d =  dx2 + dy2 + dz2

---(7)
Dividing member by
member the relations (4)
and (6), we obtain
 
Fx /dx = Fy/dy = Fz/dz = F/d Fig 8
----------------------------(8)
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Resultant of concurrent forces in Space:-

Resolve all the forces into their rectangular components in X, Y and Z axes
directions. Adding algebraically all the horizontal components in the x direction
gives
 
Rx =  Fx,
Similarly adding algebraically all the components in y and z directions yield the
following relations
R y =  Fy ,
Rz =  Fz
 
Thus magnitude of resultant

  R =  Rx2 + Ry2 + Rz2

 
Angles x, y, z resultant forms
Rx with theRaxes of coordinates
Rz are obtained by
Cos x  ; Cos y  ; Cos z 
y
 
R R R
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Equilibrium of Concurrent non-coplanar system of forces:

When a rigid body subjected to concurrent noncoplanar system of forces
F1, F2…. ..FN as shown in the Fig. given below, is in equilibrium, then
algebraic summation of all the components of the forces in three
mutually perpendicular directions must be equal to zero.
i.e.  Fx = 0
 Fy = 0
 Fz = 0 (1)
Above equations represent the static
conditions of equilibrium for concurrent
noncoplanar system of forces

Fig. A rigid body subjected to concurrent

noncoplanar system of forces
2.9 EQUILIBRIUM OF A
PARTICLE IN SPACE
 For equilibrium:
 Fx = 0, Fy = 0 and Fz = 0.
 The equations may be used to
solve problems dealing with the
equilibrium of a particle involving
no more than three unknowns.