Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week-02

Topic: Force Vectors

(Vectors, Position Vectors, Vector Addition, Vector Subtraction, Vector
Multiplication, Resolution of Vectors)

Course Instructor: Meghdeepa Choudhury

Lecturer, MTE Department
Email: meghdeepa.choudhury@mte.wub.edu.bd
Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Objectives:
• To show how to add forces and resolve them into components.

• To express force and position in Cartesian vector form.

• To explain how to determine the vector’s magnitude and direction.

• To introduce the dot and cross product.

Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Scalar and Vectors

Scalar: A scalar is any positive or negative physical
quantity that can be completely specified by its
magnitude . Examples of scalar quantities include length,
mass, and time.

Vector: A vector is any physical quantity that requires

both a magnitude and a direction for its complete
description. Examples of vectors encountered i.e statics
are force, position, and moment.
Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Unit Vector
• Unit vectors are vectors having unit length.
• Symbol: The symbol is usually a lowercase letter with a “hat.”
Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Rectangular Unit Vector

Cartesian Vector Representation: Since the three
components of A in act in the positive i , j , and k directions,
we can write A in Cartesian vector form as,

Magnitude of a Cartesian Vector: The magnitude of A is

equal to the positive square root of the sum of the squares
of its components.
Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

• If A is expressed in Cartesian vector form, A = Axi + Ay j + Azk , then uA will have a magnitude of
one and be dimensionless provided A is divided by its magnitude, i.e.,

Example: Find the unit vector of F = 35.4i - 35.4j + 86.6k lb.

The magnitude of this vector,

So, the unit vector is,

Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Vector Operations

1. Addition of Vectors
2. Subtraction of Vectors
3. Projection of a Vector onto an Axis
4. Multiplication of a Vector by a Scalar
Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Vector Addition

Given two vectors A and B, suppose we put the initial

point of B at the final point of A. Then by the sum A + B
mean the vector joining the initial point of A to the final
point of B. This is also the diagonal R of the
parallelogram constructed on A and B, in the way
shown in figure,

R=A+B
Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

• In a similar manner, R can also be obtained by adding A to B.

• As a special case, if the two vectors A and B are collinear , i.e., both have the same line
of action, the parallelogram law reduces to an algebraic or scalar addition, R = A + B
Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Vector Subtraction

Let’s consider vectors A and B. The [A — B]

means, addition of —B with the vector A.

Now, by the vector —B (“minus B”) we mean the

vector with the same magnitude as B but with
the opposite direction.
Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Projection of a Vector onto an Axis

Given a vector A and an axis u (see Fig. 1.5), by the projection
of A onto u, denoted by A u, we mean the length of the
segment cut from u by the planes drawn through the end
points of A perpendicular to u, taken with the plus sign if the
direction from the projection (onto u) of the initial point of A
to the projection of the end point of A coincides with the
positive direction of u, and with the minus sign otherwise.
Course
CourseName:
Name:Engineering Statics
Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Products of Vectors

• Scalar Product/ Dot Product

• Vector Product/ Cross Product
Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Vector Multiplication: Dot Product

The dot or scalar product of two vectors A and B, denoted by A.B (Read: A dot B), is
defined as the product of the magnitudes of A and B and the cosine of the angle 𝜽
between them.

Note: A.B is a Scalar not a vector.

Course
CourseName:
Name:Engineering Statics
Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Dot/ Scaler Product Example

Evaluate:
Course
CourseName:
Name:Engineering Statics
Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Dot/ Scaler Product Example

Course
CourseName:
Name:Engineering Statics
Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Dot/ Scaler Product Example

Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Vector Multiplication: Cross Product

The cross product of vectors A and B is a vector
C = A × B (Read: A cross B) defined as follows:
The magnitude of C = A × B is equal to the
product of the magnitudes of A and B and the
sine of the angle 𝜽 between them. The
direction of C = A × B is perpendicular to the
plane of A and B so that A, B, and C form a
right- handed system.
Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Vector Multiplication: Cross Product

Unit Vector Cross Product

Right Hand Rule (Point and curl method)

Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Cross Product Example

Example :
Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Trigonometry Overview
Course
CourseName:
Name:Engineering Statics
Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Force Addition
Various techniques can be applied:

a. Law of Parallelogram (Applicable for 2 vectors)

b. Rectangular Component Method***

c. Graphical Technique
Course
CourseName:
Name:Engineering Statics
Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Rectangular Component Method

The forces are first resolved into components along two
axes which are perpendicular to each other. The norm is to
use the x and y axes.
Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Rectangular Component Method

Course
CourseName:
Name:Engineering Statics
Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02
Course Name: Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02
Course
CourseName:
Name:Engineering Statics
Engineering Mechanics Week : 02 Course Code: ME 07151205
Week-02

Application of Vector Operations

Thank you