2.

8 Force vector directed along a line

In many cases, a force is defined by its magnitude and two points along its line of action.
y


x
z
F
u F F

need
given

,
_

AB
AB
r
r
F F

2
1 2
2
1 2
2
1 2
1 2 1 2 1 2
) ( ) ( ) (

) (

) (

) (
z z y y x x r
k z z j y y i x x r
AB
AB
+ +
+ +

2
1 2
2
1 2
2
1 2
1 2 1 2 1 2
) ( ) ( ) (

) (

) (

) (
z z y y x x
k z z j y y i x x
F F
+ +
+ +

2. !ot product (scalar product)

useful for" 1). Finding t#e angle formed by two vectors
2). Finding t#e pro$ection of a vector on a given a%is. (determining its
components.
&#e above is easily done in 2'! using trigonometry, but in ('! vectors are t#e
easiest way to go))
B ( x
2
, y
2
, z
2
)
A ( x
2
, y
2
, z
2
)
F

F
u

&#e dot product is defined by"

cos PQ Q P


Q

*roperties
+ommutative"
P Q Q P


,calar mult"
a Q P Q a P Q P a Q P a ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (


!istributive"
2 1 2 1
) ( Q P Q P Q Q P

+ +
-ssociative"
S Q P

) (
'.as no meaning) /#y0
Q P

is a scalar, and we cannot ta1e t#e dot product of

a scalar and a vector. /e can only ta1e t#e dot product of 2 vectors.
!ot product in rectangular coordinates
)

( )

( )

( )

( )

(
)

( )

( )

( )

(
)

( )

(
k k Q P j k Q P i k Q P k j Q P j j Q P
i j Q P k i Q P j i Q P i i Q P Q P
k Q j Q i Q k P j P i P Q P
z z y z x z z y y y
x y z x y x x x
z y x z y x
+ + + +
+ + + +
+ + + +


1

1

1

k k j j i i 2

2

2

i k k j j i
z z y y x x
Q P Q P Q P Q P + +

-pplications
1). Finding t#e angle formed by 2 vectors

cos
cos
PQ Q P Q P Q P
PQ Q P
z z y y x x
+ +


1
]
1

+ +

PQ
Q P Q P Q P
z z y y x x 1
cos
2). Finding t#e pro$ection of a vector on a given a%is.
y 3

Q

P
OL
P

x
O
z
Q
Q P Q P Q P
Q
P
P
Q P Q P
PQ Q P
z z y y x x
OL
OL
+ +

cos
or
z z y y x x OL
z y x z y x OL OL
OL
P P P P
k j i k P j P i P u P P
Q
Q
P Q P
Q
P


cos cos cos
)

cos

cos

(cos )

(
) (
1
+ +
+ + + +

,
_

direction cosines
cos P P
OL

1). 4iven" - precast'concrete wall section is temporarily #eld by t#e cable s#own. &#e
tension in cable AB is 852 lbs and t#e tension in cable AC is 1222 lbs.
D
C
B
8 ft
16ft
A
11 ft 16 ft
Find" &#e magnitude and direction of t#e resultant of t#e forces e%erted by cables AB
and AC on sta1e A.
*ut coordinate system in lower, left corner of wall.
y
AB
T
AC
T
z
x
A
A (16, 2, '11)
B (2, 8, 2)
C (2, 8, '27)
AC AB
T T R

+
2 2 2
11 8 16

)) 11 ( 2 (

) 2 8 (

) 16 2 (
852
+ +
+ +

k j i
u T T
AB AB AB

k j i T
k j i
u T T
k j i T
AC
AC AC AC
AB

822

522

822
16 8 16

) 11 ( 27 (

) 2 8 (

) 16 2 (
1222

552

(22

652
2 2 2
+
1
1
]
1

+ +
+ +

+ +

k j i R
k j i k j i R

(62 722 1552

)

822 522 822 ( )

552 (22 652 (

+
+ + + +

R 1682 lbs k j i u
R

218 . 2

5(6 . 2

87( . 2 +

or

8 . 182
x

2 . 65
y

6 . 122
z

2). 4iven" &#e boom OA carries a load P and is supported by 2 cables as s#own. t#e
tension in cable AB is 7(2 9.
y

C
B 722 822 mm
582 mm mm
882 mm
: A
x
z 62 mm
P
Find" !etermine t#e tension in cable AC, and t#e magnitude of P if t#e resultant of P and
t#e forces e%erted at A by t#e two cables must be directed along OA.
R F


R P T T
AC AB

+ + j P P

A(2.6, 2, 2)
i R R
x

B(2, 2.88, 2.58)

C(2, 2.8, '2.72)
AB AB AB
u T T

,
_

+ +
+ +

2 2 2
58 . 2 88 . 2 6 . 2

) 2 58 . 2 (

) 2 88 . 2 (

) 6 . 2 2 (
7(2
k j i
T
AB

k j i T
AB

288

(58

876 + +

AC AC AC
u T T

,
_

+ +
+ +

2 2 2
72 . 2 8 . 2 6 . 2

) 2 72 . 2 (

) 2 8 . 2 (

) 6 . 2 2 ( k j i
T T
AC AC

k T j T i T T
AC AC AC AC

885 . 2

(85 . 2

7(8 . 2 +

,ubstituting in t#e sum of forces e;uation and collecting li1e terms"

i R k T j P T i T
x AC AC AC

) 885 . 2 288 (

) (85 . 2 (58 (

) 7(8 . 2 876 ( + + +
<;uating coefficients"
z coefficients"
2 885 . 2 288
AC
T

N T
AC
822
y coefficients"
2 ) 822 ( (85 . 2 (58 + P

N P 858
(). 4iven" &#e tension in cable AC is 58 9
3.6 m
3.9 m
3.6 m 1.8 m 4.5 m
2.7 m
P
x
y
z
A
B
C
D
Find" a). -ngle between cable AC and t#e boom AB.
b). *ro$ection of t#e force in cable AC on AB.
A((.6,2.7,2)
B(2,2,2)
C(2,(.,1.8)
a).

28 . 8
) 2 . 5 ( 8 . 5
) 8 . 1 )( 2 ( ) 2 . 1 )( 7 . 2 ( ) 6 . ( ( 6 . (
cos
) )( (
cos
cos ) )( (

+ +

AC AB
AC AB AC AB AC AB
AC AB
z z y y x x
AC AB
2 . 5

8 . 1

2 . 1

6 . (
8 . 5

7 . 2

6 . (

+ +

+
AC
k j i
AB
k j i
AC
AB
b).
N F
F
AB F AB F AB F AB F
AB F F
AB on AC
AB on AC
AB on AC z ACz y ACy x ACx
AC AB AC
586
) 8 . 5 ( ) 2 ( 528 ) 7 . 2 ( 272 ) 6 . ( ( 812
) (
cos ) (

+ +
+ +

k j i F
k j i
F
u F F
AC
AC
AC AC AC

528

272

812
2 . 5

8 . 1

2 . 1

6 . (
58
+ +

,
_

+ +

9ote"
N F
F
F F
AC on AB
AC on AB
AC AC on AB
586
) 2 . 8 cos( 58
cos