MAE 241 - Statics

Summer 2009

Dr. Konstantinos A. Sierros

Office Hours: M and W 10:30 – 11:30 (263 ESB new add)
kostas.sierros@mail.wvu.edu
Teaching Blog: http://wvumechanicsonline.blogspot.com
*1–16. Two particles have a mass of 8 kg and 12
kg,
respectively. If they are 800 mm apart,
determine the force
of gravity acting between them. Compare this
result with
the weight of each particle.
•2–1. If θ=30o and T = 6kN , determine the
magnitude of the resultant force acting on
the eyebolt and its direction measured
clockwise from the positive x axis.
2–18. The truck is to be towed using two ropes.
Determine
the magnitudes of forces FA and FB acting on
each rope in
order to develop a resultant force of 950 N
directed along
the positive x axis.Set θ = 50°.
 Chapter 2:Force vectors

Objectives
• To show how to add forces and
resolve them into components
using the Parallelogram Law
• Cartesian vectors
• Introduce dot product
 2.7 Position vectors

xyz coordinates
• Positive z axis is directed upward
• x, y axes lie in the horizontal plane

Locate A(4m,2m,-6m)
 2.7 Position vectors

A position vector r is defined as a fixed vector which locates a point

in space relative to another point (i.e from point O to P)

• Starting at origin O, one ‘travels’ x in the +i direction, then y in the +j

direction and z in the +k direction, we arrive at point P

r = xi+yj+zk
 2.7 Position vectors
• In a more general case, the position vector r may be directed from
point A to point B in space

r=(xB-xA)i+(yB-yA)j+(zB-zA)k

• The i,j,k components of r are formed by subtracting the coordinates

of the tail A from the coordinates of the head B
 2.8 Force vector directed along a line

•Often, in 3D problems the direction

of a force is specified by two points through
which its line of action passes
• F is directed along AB
• F (as a Cartesian vector) has the same
direction and sense as the position vector r
• The common direction is specified by the
unit vector u = r/r

F=Fu=F(r/r)
 2.9 Dot product
• The dot product, which is a method for ‘multiplying’ two vectors
is used in order to solve 3D statics problems. 2D problems can be
solved using geometry and trigonometry

A•B = AB cosθ
Dot product

Laws of operation
Cumulative law: A•B = B •A
Multiplication by a scalar: α(A•B)=(α A) • B = A • (α B)
Distributive law: A• (B+D) = (A•B) + (A•D)
 2.9 Dot product
• To determine the dot product of two Cartesian vectors, multiply
their corresponding x,y, z components and sum these products
algebraically

A•B = AxBx + AyBy + AzBz

Applications of dot product in mechanics

2. The angle formed between two vectors
or intersecting lines
3. The components of a vector parallel
and perpendicular to a line