9/6/2024

Ninth Edition

VECTOR MECHANICS FOR ENGINEERS:

3
CHAPTER

STATICS
Ferdinand P. Beer
E. Russell Johnston, Jr.
Rigid Bodies:
Lecture Notes:
J. Walt Oler Equivalent Systems
Texas Tech University of Forces

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Edition
Ninth

Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics

Contents
Introduction Moment of a Force About a Given Axis
External and Internal Forces Sample Problem 3.5
Principle of Transmissibility: Equivalent Moment of a Couple
Forces Addition of Couples
Vector Products of Two Vectors Couples Can Be Represented By Vectors
Moment of a Force About a Point Resolution of a Force Into a Force at O
Varigon’s Theorem and a Couple
Rectangular Components of the Sample Problem 3.6
Moment of a Force System of Forces: Reduction to a Force
Sample Problem 3.1 and a Couple
Scalar Product of Two Vectors Further Reduction of a System of Forces
Scalar Product of Two Vectors: Sample Problem 3.8
Applications Sample Problem 3.10
Mixed Triple Product of Three Vectors

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Introduction
• Treatment of a body as a single particle is not always possible. In
general, the size of the body and the specific points of application of the
forces must be considered.

• Most bodies in elementary mechanics are assumed to be rigid, i.e., the

actual deformations are small and do not affect the conditions of
equilibrium or motion of the body.

• Current chapter describes the effect of forces exerted on a rigid body and
how to replace a given system of forces with a simpler equivalent system.
• moment of a force about a point
• moment of a force about an axis
• moment due to a couple

• Any system of forces acting on a rigid body can be replaced by an

equivalent system consisting of one force acting at a given point and one
couple.
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Ninth

Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics

External and Internal Forces
• Forces acting on rigid bodies are
divided into two groups:
- External forces
- Internal forces

• External forces are shown in a

free-body diagram.

• If unopposed, each external force

can impart a motion of
translation or rotation, or both.

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Principle of Transmissibility: Equivalent Forces
• Principle of Transmissibility -
Conditions of equilibrium or motion are
not affected by transmitting a force
along its line of action.
NOTE: F and F’ are equivalent forces.

• Moving the point of application of

the force F to the rear bumper
does not affect the motion or the
other forces acting on the truck.

• Principle of transmissibility may

not always apply in determining
internal forces and deformations.

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Ninth

Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics

Vector Product of Two Vectors
• Concept of the moment of a force about a point is
more easily understood through applications of
the vector product or cross product.

• Vector product of two vectors P and Q is defined

as the vector V which satisfies the following
conditions:
1. Line of action of V is perpendicular to plane
containing P and Q.
2. Magnitude of V is V = PQ sin 
3. Direction of V is obtained from the right-hand
rule.

• Vector products:
- are not commutative, Q  P = −( P  Q )
- are distributive, P  (Q1 + Q2 ) = P  Q1 + P  Q2
- are not associative, ( P  Q )  S  P  (Q  S )
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Vector Products: Rectangular Components
• Vector products of Cartesian unit vectors,
       
i i = 0 j  i = −k k  i = j
       
i j =k j j =0 k  j = −i
       
i k = − j j k = i k k = 0

• Vector products in terms of rectangular

coordinates
 
( ) ( )
    
V = Px i + Py j + Pz k  Qx i + Q y j + Qz k

= (Py Q z − Pz Q y )i + ( Pz Q x − Px Q z ) j
 

+ (Px Q y − Py Q x )k
  
i j k
= Px Py Pz
Qx Qy Qz

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics

Moment of a Force About a Point
• A force vector is defined by its magnitude and
direction. Its effect on the rigid body also depends
on it point of application.
• The moment of F about O is defined as
MO = r  F
• The moment vector MO is perpendicular to the
plane containing O and the force F.
• Magnitude of MO measures the tendency of the force
to cause rotation of the body about an axis along MO.
M O = rF sin  = Fd
The sense of the moment may be determined by the
right-hand rule.
• Any force F’ 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.
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Moment of a Force About a Point
• Two-dimensional structures have length and breadth but
negligible depth and are subjected to forces contained in
the plane of the structure.

• The plane of the structure contains the point O and the

force F. MO, the moment of the force about O is
perpendicular to the plane.

• If the force tends to rotate the structure counterclockwise,

the sense of the moment vector is out of the plane of the
structure and the magnitude of the moment is positive.

• If the force tends to rotate the structure clockwise, the

sense of the moment vector is into the plane of the
structure and the magnitude of the moment is negative.

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Ninth

Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics

Varignon’s Theorem

• The moment about a give point O of the

resultant of several concurrent forces is equal
to the sum of the moments of the various
moments about the same point O.
      
r  (F1 + F2 + ) = r  F1 + r  F2 + 

• Varigon’s Theorem makes it possible to

replace the direct determination of the
moment of a force F by the moments of two
or more component forces of F.

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Rectangular Components of the Moment of a Force

The moment of F about O,

      
M O = r  F , r = xi + yj + zk
   
F = Fx i + Fy j + Fz k
   
M O = M xi + M y j + M z k

  
i j k
= x y z
Fx Fy Fz


= ( yFz − zF y )i + ( zFx − xFz ) j + (xF y − yFx )k
 

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics

Rectangular Components of the Moment of a Force

The moment of F about B,

  
M B = rA / B  F

  
rA / B = rA − rB
  
= (x A − xB ) i + ( y A − y B ) j + (z A − z B ) k
   
F = Fx i + Fy j + Fz k

  
i j k

M B = (x A − xB ) ( y A − yB ) (z A − z B )
Fx Fy Fz

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Rectangular Components of the Moment of a Force
For two-dimensional structures,

M O = (xF y − yFz )k


MO = M Z
= xF y − yFz

 
 
M O = ( x A − x B )Fy − ( y A − y B )Fz k
MO = M Z
= ( x A − x B )Fy − ( y A − y B )Fz

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Ninth

Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics

Sample Problem 3.1
A 100-lb vertical force is applied to the end of a
lever which is attached to a shaft at O.
Determine:
a) moment about O,
b) horizontal force at A which creates the same
moment,
c) smallest force at A which produces the same
moment,
d) location for a 240-lb vertical force to produce
the same moment,
e) whether any of the forces from b, c, and d is
equivalent to the original force.

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Sample Problem 3.1
a) Moment about O is equal to the product of the
force and the perpendicular distance between the
line of action of the force and O. Since the force
tends to rotate the lever clockwise, the moment
vector is into the plane of the paper.

M O = Fd
d = (24 in.) cos 60 = 12 in.
M O = (100 lb )(12 in.) M O = 1200 lb  in

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Ninth

Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics

Sample Problem 3.1
c) Horizontal force at A that produces the same
moment,
d = (24 in.) sin 60 = 20.8 in.
M O = Fd
1200 lb  in. = F (20.8 in.)
1200 lb  in.
F= F = 57.7 lb
20.8 in.

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Sample Problem 3.1
c) The smallest force A to produce the same moment
occurs when the perpendicular distance is a
maximum or when F is perpendicular to OA.

M O = Fd
1200 lb  in. = F (24 in.)
1200 lb  in.
F= F = 50 lb
24 in.

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics

Sample Problem 3.1
d) To determine the point of application of a 240 lb
force to produce the same moment,

M O = Fd
1200 lb  in. = (240 lb )d
1200 lb  in.
d= = 5 in.
240 lb
OB cos60 = 5 in. OB = 10 in.

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Sample Problem 3.1

e) Although each of the forces in parts b), c), and d)

produces the same moment as the 100 lb force, none
are of the same magnitude and sense, or on the same
line of action. None of the forces is equivalent to the
100 lb force.

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Edition
Ninth

Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics

Sample Problem 3.4

SOLUTION:
The moment MA of the force F exerted
by the wire is obtained by evaluating
the vector product,
  
M A = rC A  F

The rectangular plate is supported by

the brackets at A and B and by a wire
CD. Knowing that the tension in the
wire is 200 N, determine the moment
about A of the force exerted by the
wire at C.

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Sample Problem 3.4
SOLUTION:
  
M A = rC A  F
®
rC A = rC - rA = ( 0.3 m) i + ( 0.08 m) k

  rC D
F = F = (200 N )
rC D
  
− (0.3 m )i + (0.24 m ) j − (0.32 m )k
= (200 N )
0.5 m
  
= −(120 N ) i + (96 N ) j − (128 N )k
i j k
MA = 0.3 0 0.08
-120 96 -128

   
M A = −(7.68 N  m ) i + (28.8 N  m ) j + (28.8 N  m )k
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