Force Systems.

Moment of a force-scalar formulation.

• A force applied on the body will produce a tendency of the body
to rotate about a point that is not on the line of action.
• The tendency to rotate is torque, often called moment of a force
or simply moment.
• In the figure, the force applied at the handle of
the wrench will tend to turn the bolt about
point O.
• The magnitude of moment M is proportional to the magnitude
of force F and the perpendicular distance or moment arm d.
 Moment of a force-scalar formulation.
• If the force is applied at an angle <900 as in the figure, it will be more
difficult to turn the bolt since moment arm will be smaller than d that is

• If F is applied along the wrench, its

moment arm will be zero since the line
action of F will intersect point O.
This results the moment of F
about O also zero and no turning
can occur.
 Moment of a force-scalar formulation.
• Moment Mo is a vector quantity since it has a specified magnitude and
direction.
• Magnitude: Mo is Units of moment magnitude are N.m or
lb.ft
• Direction: the direction Mo is defined by its moment axis which is
perpendicular to the plane that contains the force F and its moment arm
d.
• The right hand rule is used to show the sense of direction.
• Resultant Moment: For 2D problems, where all the forces lie within the
x-y plane, the resultant moment (MR)o about O (the z-axis) = algebraic
sum of the moments.
 Moment of a force-scalar formulation.
• Resultant Moment: For 2D problems, where all the forces lie
within the x-y plane, the resultant moment (MR)o about O (the
z-axis) = algebraic sum of the moments.
• +Positive moments – counterclockwise.
• -Negative moments – Clockwise.
• Using sign convention the resultant moment
as in figure is
 Moment of a force-scalar formulation.

• Examples on page 119-120 of the reference material.

Vector products.
Vectors products.
 Moment of a force – Vector Formulation.
• The moment of a vector force F about point
O, or the moment axis through O is
expressed using a vector cross product

• r – position vector directed from O at any point on the line of

action of F.
• Magnitude is
r must be treated as a sliding
where the angle ϴ is measured vector to construct angle ϴ
between the tails of r and F properly see next slide
 Moment of a force – Vector Formulation.
• since the moment arm d = r sinϴ then
• Direction – by right hand rule of the cross
product.

• Principle of Transmissibility: Any force that has the same magnitude

and direction as F, is equivalent if it also has the same line of action and
therefore, produces the same moment.
 Rectangular Components of a Moment
•.
Rectangular Components of a Moment
 Rectangular Components of a Moment
• Resultant moment of a system of Forces:
• If a body is acted upon by a system of forces, as in figure
• The resultant moment of the forces about point O
can be determined by vector addition of the
moment of each force.

• Examples on page 126-127 in text book

 Varignon’s Theorem(Principle of Moments)
Moment of a Force about a point is equal to the sum of the momen
the force’s components about the point.

For 2D problems as in next figure, using the

principle of moments resolve the forces into
rectangular components, then determine the moment
using scalar analysis. i.e

Examples in textbook on page 129 –

130.
 Varignon’s Theorem(Principle of Moments)
Moment of a Force about a point is equal to the sum of the momen
the force’s components about the point.

For 2D problems as in next figure, using the

principle of moments resolve the forces into
rectangular components, then determine the moment
using scalar analysis. i.e

Examples in textbook on page 129 –

130.
• Reading Assignment. Go to page 139 of the text book and read
about “Moment of a force about specified axis”
 Moment of a Couple.
• A couple is two parallel forces having the same magnitude
but opposite directions, separated a perpendicular distance
d.
• The only effect of a couple is to produce a rotation or
tendency of rotation in a specified direction.
• The moment produced by a couple is called a couple
moment.
• We can determine its value by finding the sum of the
moments of both couple forces about any arbitrary point. As
in next figure.
 Moment of a Couple.
• Scalar formulation: The moment of
a couple M as in figure is
where F is the magnitude of one of
the forces and d is the
perpendicular distance between the
forces.
• Vector formulation: the moment of
a couple can also be expressed by
the vector cross product.
• Equivalent Couples: if two couples
produce a moment with the same
magnitude and direction, then these
two couples are equivalent.
 Moment of a Couple.
• Resultant Couple Moment: found by
vector addition since couple moments
are vectors.
• Consider M1 and M2 acting on pipe in
figure. By joining the tails of the
moments
• If more than two couple moments act
on the body, we may generalize this
concept and write the vector resultant as
 Moment of a Couple.
• Examples on page 150 - 152
Equivalent Systems.
Equivalent systems.
 Equivalent Systems Example.

• Do examples 4.14, 4.15 and 4.17 on page 163, 164, and 174.