Chapter 2 STATICS OF PARTICLES

Forces are vector quantities; they add according to the

parallelogram law. The magnitude and direction of the
resultant R of two forces P and Q can be determined either
graphically or by trigonometry.

R
P

A Q

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 Any given force acting on a particle can be resolved into
two or more components, i.e.., it can be replaced by two
or more forces which have the same effect on the particle.
A force F can be resolved
into two components P
and Q by drawing a
parallelogram which has
F for its diagonal; the
Q components P and Q
F are then represented by
the two adjacent sides
of the parallelogram
A and can be determined
either graphically or by
P trigonometry.
A force F is said to have been resolved into two rectangular
components if its components are directed along the coordinate
axes. Introducing the unit vectors i and j along the x and y axes,

F = Fx i + Fy j
y
Fx = F cos q Fy = F sin q

Fy
Fy = Fy j tan q =
Fx
F
j 2 2
q F= Fx + Fy
i Fx = Fx i x
When three or more coplanar forces act on a particle, the
rectangular components of their resultant R can be obtained
by adding algebraically the corresponding components of the
given forces.

Rx = S Rx Ry = S Ry

The magnitude and direction of R can be determined from

Ry
tan q = R= Rx2
+ Ry2
Rx
 y y

B B

Fy Fy qy A
F A
D
F D
O O
qx Fx x Fx x
Fz Fz
E E
C C
z z
y
A force F in three-dimensional space B
can be resolved into components
Fy F
Fx = F cos qx Fy = F cos qy A
D
O
Fz = F cos qz qz Fx x

E
z Fz C
 y l (Magnitude = 1)

The cosines of
Fy j
qx , qy , and qz
cos qy j F=Fl are known as the
direction cosines of
the force F. Using
Fx i the unit vectors i , j,
cos qz k
x and k, we write
Fz k
F = Fx i + Fy j + Fz k
z cos qx i

or

F = F (cosqx i + cosqy j + cosqz k )

 y l (Magnitude = 1)
cos qy j
Fy j l = cosqx i + cosqy j
cos qz k + cosqz k
F=Fl
Since the magnitude
Fx i of l is unity, we have

x cos2qx + cos2qy
Fz k + cos2qz = 1
z cos qx i In addition,

2 2 2
F= Fx + Fy + Fz
Fx Fy Fz
cosqx = cosqy = cosqz =
F F F
 y
N (x2, y2, z2) A force vector F
in three-dimensions
F dy = y2 - y1 is defined by its
magnitude F and
l two points M and
dz = z2 - z1
<0 N along its line of
M (x1, y1, z1) dx = x2 - x1
action. The vector
x MN joining points
z M and N is
MN = dx i + dy j + dz k

The unit vector l along the line of action of the force is

MN 1
l = = ( dx i + dy j + dz k )
MN d
 y
2 2 2
N (x2, y2, z2) d= dx + dy + dz

dy = y2 - y1
A force F is
dz = z2 - z1 defined as the
dx = x2 - x1 <0 product of F and
M (x1, y1, z1)
l. Therefore,
x
z
F
F=Fl = ( dx i + dy j + dz k )
d
From this it follows that

Fdx Fdy Fdz

Fx = Fy = d Fz =
d d
When two or more forces act on a particle in three-
dimensions, the rectangular components of their resultant
R is obtained by adding the corresponding components of
the given forces.

Rx = S Fx
Ry = S Fy
Rz = S Fz

The particle is in equilibrium when the resultant of all

forces acting on it is zero.
To solve a problem involving a particle in equilibrium,
draw a free-body diagram showing all the forces acting
on the particle. The conditions which must be satisfied for
particle equilibrium are

S Fx = 0 S Fy = 0 S Fz = 0

In two-dimensions , only two of these equations are needed

S Fx = 0 S Fy = 0