Engineering Science A ENG3011

Topic: Statics

The subject of statics covers the study and analysis of stationary particles, bodies and
systems (i.e. things which do not move) subjected to forces. The analysis requires an
understanding of vectors which will therefore be our first topic.

Scalars and Vectors

Scalar quantities such as time, mass and energy have magnitude but no directional
properties, and can be handled by the ordinary laws of algebra.
c=a+b, if a =3 and b = 5, then c= 8

Vector quantities, however, are associated with directions as well as with

magnitude, and include force, displacement and acceleration. Vectors cannot be
added in the simple way as scalars because there are always two components to be
considered,

Vector quantities can be represented graphically by straight lines with arrowheads

(sometimes called directed line-segments), such as V1 and V2 in figure 1.
The length of each line represents the magnitude of the respective quantity, while the
angles q1 and q2 define their directions relative to some convenient datum.

V 2

V 1
V
q V V 1
1 1
V
V 2

q 2
V 2

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 1 Addition of two vectors

Vector Addition and Subtraction

Vectors can be added by the triangle (figure 1a) or parallelogram laws (figure 1b). The
combined vector V, called the resultant, of the two vectors V 1 and V2 is written as V
= V1 + V2

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If the vector V2 is drawn in the opposite direction, we have the vector -V 2. The vector
difference (V' = V1 - V2) is then easily obtained as shown in figure 2.

V 1 -V 2
V 1
q 1 V'
q V 1
2
V' -V
-V 2
2

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 2 Subtraction of vectors

Force and Newton's First Law

If the resultant force acting on a particle is zero, the particle will remain at rest (if
originally at rest) or will move with constant speed in a straight line (if originally in
motion).

Interpretations of the First Law

i) A body is in Equilibrium if it moves with constant velocity. A body at rest is a

special case of constant velocity i.e. v = 0 = constant.

ii) For a body to be in Equilibrium the resultant force acting on the body must be
zero.

iii) A Force can be defined as 'that which tends to cause a particle to accelerate', if
not in Equilibrium.

Force Units

The S.I. unit of force is the Newton abbreviated as N. For example 100 N. For most
engineering applications forces are of the order of N or kN.

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Force Vectors - Components in Polar and Rectangular coordinates

A Force is a vector quantity since it has direction as well as magnitude.

fy

F
Fy
q
Fx

fx

The vector F can also be represented in terms of components in polar coordinates,

F and q as follows:

Fx = F.cosq; and Fy  F. sinq;

and the inverse relationship as:

 Fy 
F = Fx  Fy and q  tan 
-1
2 2

 Fx 

Example 1

Fy
600N

35 Fx

Calculate the components in rectangular coordinates of the 600 N force.

Solution

Fx  600.cos 35  491 N Fy  600.sin 35  344 N

Tutorial 1

Find the components of the 500 N force in rectangular coordinates

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500N

147

(Ans.-419.3 N, 272.3 N)

Example 2
A force vector has the components 600 kN and 300 kN in the x and y directions
respectively, calculate the components in polar coordinates.

Solution
F 3002  6002  670.8 kN
300
q  tan 1  26.56
600

Tutorial 2
Draw the vector diagram for Example 2.
A force vector has the components -45 N and 72 N in rectangular coordinates, in the x
and y directions respectively, what are the components in polar coordinates. Draw the
vector diagram.
(Ans. 84.9 N, 122)

Addition of Force Vectors and the Resultant Force

Figure 3 shows forces acting at a point which are then represented graphically in
Figure 4.The length of the force vectors are proportional to the magnitude of the force
they represent and are drawn parallel to the direction of the force.

Parallelogram Method

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Fy

Force F1 F2

Force F2
F1
Particle Resultant R
Note means "equivalent to" Fx

Figure 3 Figure 4

The vector R is called the Resultant and is equal to the vector sum (addition) of force
vectors F1 and F2. The dotted lines are drawn parallel to the force vectors to form a
parallelogram. The vector R is then drawn diagonally across the corners of the
parallelogram.

Algebraic Method

The vectors can be added algebraically by first resolving the forces into their
rectangular components in the x and y directions, adding the components and then
converting back into polar coordinates.
F2,y
F2

q2

F1,x F2, x

q1

F1,y F1

R x  F1,x  F2 ,x  F1 cos q 1  F2 cos q 2

R y  F1, y  F2 , y   F1 sin q1  F2 sin q 2

2 2
R  Rx  Ry

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 Ry 
q  tan 1  
 Rx 

Triangle of Forces Method

The vectors are drawn so that the tail of one vector joins the head of the preceding
vector. The vector R is then drawn to close the triangle and its direction is opposite to
the direction of the vectors F1 and F2.
Figure 5 shows F1 drawn first and Figure 6 shows F2 drawn first.

Fy Fy F1
R F2 R

F2

F1

Fx Fx

Figure 5 Figure 6

Example 3

Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant (i.e. in polar coordinates) of the two
forces shown in the diagram,
6kN
4kN
15 30

a) Using the Parallelogram Method

b) Using the Triangle of Forces Method
c) Using the algebraic calculation method.

Solution to (a) and (b) as practice in the above examples

c)

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R x  6 cos 30  4 cos15  1332

. kN
R y  6 sin 30  4 sin 15  4.035 kN

4.035
R ( 1.332) 2  ( 4.035) 2  4.249 kN ; q  tan 1  71.73
1.332
or -108.26 measured from the positive x axis.

Tutorial 3

Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant (i.e. in polar coordinates) of the two
forces shown in the diagram,

a) Using the Parallelogram Method

b) Using the Triangle of Forces Method
c) Using the algebraic calculation method.

750N
450N

60 45

Ans. 969N, 93.4 from the +ve x-axis

Equilibrium of Forces on a Particle (Equilibrium of Concurrent Forces)

F1

Equilibrant E Equilibrant E

Force Figure 11

F2
Resultant R

From Newton's First Law for a particle to be in equilibrium there can be no resultant
force on the particle. The Equilibrant (the force which puts a system of forces into

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equilibrium) must therefore be equal and opposite to the Resultant R to reduce the
force on the body to zero.

Equilibrant = - Resultant
E  R

Fy R

E
F2

F1

Fx
Figure 12

The equilibrant may be shown by reversing the direction of the arrow of the
resultant. In the triangle of forces method this makes all the arrows on the vector
diagram point in the same direction around the triangle.

If there are more than three forces the triangle becomes a polygon of forces.

If the diagram does not close then there is a net resultant force i.e. the body is not in
equilibrium and will tend to accelerate. (F = ma , Newton’s Second Law)

Equilibrium of Components of Force Vectors for Coplanar and Concurrent forces

Coplanar forces: force vectors being in one plane- two dimensional system (e.g.
forces in x-y plane, no forces in z direction)
Concurrent forces: all forces vectors acting at one point or one particle

The rectangular components Fx and Fy of the force vectors which are in equilibrium
are independent variables. Therefore, if the sum of the vectors add up to zero, then
the sum of their components must also add up to zero. Hence,

i=n i=n i=n

for equilibrium  Fi  0; it follows that  Fx, i  0; and F y, i  0;
i=0 i=0 i=0

for example, for a particle under the action of three forces to be in equilibrium,

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Fx,1  Fx,2  Fx,3  0;

Fy,1  Fy,2  Fy,3  0;

Tutorial 4
There are three forces acting on a particle which is in equilibrium find the value of the
forces P and Q.
Hint: The inclination of P and Q is given and is fixed but the sign of P and Q may
not be as shown in the diagram.

Solve the problem by resolving forces into components.

370N Q

15
30

45
P

(Ans. Q = -714 N, P = 714 N)

Polygon of Forces

The same methods can be applied to multiple forces as to three forces but instead of a
triangle of forces the diagram becomes a polygon. Consider a particle in equilibrium
with five forces acting on it.
F3 F3
F2 F2

F5 F5
F1 F1

F4 F4

Figure 7 Figure 8

Figure 7 shows the forces acting on a particle which is not a very practical case.
Figure 8 shows a more realistic case with the forces acting on a rigid body but the
result is the same provided that all the forces intersect at a common point. (i.e.
Concurrent)

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Particle is a material body whose linear dimensions are small enough to be irrelevant.

Rigid Body is a body that does not deform (change shape) as a result of the forces
acting on it.

Figure 9 shows the polygon of forces. If any of the five forces were not present the
body would not be in equilibrium and the polygon of forces would not close. For
example suppose force F5 is removed, then there would be a net resultant R (figure
10) acting on the body, equal and opposite to the force F5.

F1 F1
F2 F2

F4 F4

Fy
F3 F3
y

F5 R

Fx x

Figure 9 Figure 10

In the latter case the unbalanced force or resultant has the same magnitude but
opposite direction to the force F5. Any one of the five forces can be considered as the
equilibrant to the remaining four forces.
R = -F5
Or equilibrant F5 = - Resultant R

Example 4

The diagram shows three forces acting on a particle

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45 kN
84 kN
20
30

50
122 kN

Find the equilibrant by drawing the polygon of forces.

Any one of the forces can be the equilibrant.

Tutorial 5

The diagram shows four forces acting on a particle.

60 kN

60
100 kN
30
10
80 kN

110 kN

Find the equilibrant and the resultant using the polygon of forces.

21 21
(Ans. E = 44 kN ; R = 44 kN )

Moments
The moment of a force about a point is found by multiplying the magnitude of the
force by the perpendicular distance from the point to the line of action of the force.

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The moment of the force F about point A is F x d.

Moments can be either clockwise or anti-clockwise.
The moment of a force about a point is the turning effect of the force about that point.
The SI unit for moment is the newton meter (Nm).
Moment = Magnitude of Force x Perpendicular distance to the pivot (Fxd)
Principle of Moments
If a body is at rest under the action of several forces, the total clockwise moment
(CM) of the forces about any axis is equal to the total anticlockwise moment (ACM)
of the forces about the same axis.
• CM = ACM
• or CM -ACM = 0

Couples
A couple is a system of forces which has a net moment but does not have a resultant
force in any one direction.

Here is a very simple couple:

In any direction, the resultant force is zero but the moment about A is clearly not zero.
Such forces acting on a body might cause the body to rotate, but not move in any one
direction.

If a system is in equilibrium, the system will have zero resultant force and the sum of
the moments about any point will be zero.

The Moment of a Force (also called torque)

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The moment of a force is a measure of its turning effect.

The moment can be calculate using the following equation.

Moment = Force × Perpendicular distance of force from

"pivot"

Consider a person trying to open a door, by applying a force, of magnitude, F, as shown below.

The perpendicular distance, d, between the line of action of the force and the pivot
(the hinge of the door) is r sinα 

Therefore, the moment of the force is given by

Moment = F r sinα

The two obvious changes the person could make in order to open the door more easily
are

(i) He could increase the distance "r"

(ii) He could push at 90° to the door.

Space

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If the angle between the line of action of the force and the door is 90°, we have

Moment = Fr

and it is clear that this is the maximum value of the turning effect for a given
force.

Example: Find the reaction supports at RA and RB as shown in the loaded beam.

20 kN
35 kN

RA RB

3.5m 7m 3.5m
Solution:
Taking moments about A,

 RB  14  35  10.5  20  3.5  0

R B  31.25 kN

From vertical equilibrium

R A  R B  35  20

 R A  23.75 kN

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