Addition of Vectors

Combining Vector Components

Unit Vector
Magnitude of 1
and a direction

î , ĵ, k̂
Rectangular coordinates in
3-D
A vector connecting two
points
Rectangular Components of a
Force
• May resolve a force vector into perpendicular
components so that the resulting parallelogram is a
rectangle. Fx and Fy are referred to as rectangular
vector components and
  
F  Fx  Fy
 
• Define perpendicular unit vectors i and j which are
parallel to the x and y axes.

• Vector components may be expressed as products of

the unit vectors with the scalar magnitudes of the
vector components.
  
F  Fx i  Fy j

Fx and Fy are referred to as the scalar components of F
Addition of Forces
• Wish to find the resultant of 3 or more
concurrent forces,
   
R  PQS

• Resolve each force into rectangular components

       
R x i  R y j  Px i  Py j  Q x i  Q y j  S x i  S y j

 
  Px  Q x  S x  i  Py  Q y  S y j


• The scalar components of the resultant are equal

to the sum of the corresponding scalar
components of the given forces.
R x  Px  Q x  S x R y  Py  Q y  S y
  Fx   Fy
• To find the resultant magnitude and direction,
2 2 1 R y
R  Rx  R y   tan
Rx
 Sample Problem 1

SOLUTION:
• Resolve each force into rectangular
components.

• Determine the components of the

resultant by adding the corresponding
force components.

• Calculate the magnitude and direction

Four forces act on bolt A as shown.
of the resultant.
Determine the resultant of the force
on the bolt.
Solution -- Sample Problem 1
• Resolve each force into rectangular
components.
force mag x  comp y  comp
F1 150 129.9  75.0
F2 80  27.4  75.2
F3 110 0 110.0
F4 100  96.6  25.9
R x  199.1 R y  14.3

• Determine the components of the resultant by

adding the corresponding force components.
• Calculate the magnitude and direction.
R  199.12  14.32 R  199.6 N
14.3 N
tan     4.1
199.1 N
 Rectangular Components in
Space

  • Resolve Fh into
• The vector F is • Resolve F into rectangular components
contained in the horizontal and vertical Fx  Fh cos 
plane OBAC. components.
 F sin  y cos 
Fy  F cos y
Fy  Fh sin 
Fh  F sin  y
 F sin  y sin 
Rectangular Components in
Space


• With the angles between F and the axes,
Fx  F cos x Fy  F cos y Fz  F cos z
   
F  Fx i  Fy j  Fz k

  
 F cos x i  cos y j  cos z k

 F
   
  cos x i  cos y j  cos z k
 
•  is a unit vector along the line of action of F
and cos x , cos
  y , and cos z are the direction
cosines for F