TUTORIAL QUESTIONS
1. Define the following terminology:
a) Concurrent forces: Two or more forces are said to be concurrent at a point if their lines of
action intersect at that point.
b) Free vector: is one whose action is not confined to or associated with a unique line in space.
c) Rigid body: is a body whose changes in shape are negligible compared with the overall
dimensions of the body or with the changes in position of the body as a whole.(
d) Statically determinate body: bodies which are supported by the minimum number of
constraints necessary to ensure an equilibrium configuration.
2. Briefly explain the two classification of forces.
(i) Contact or body forces: A contact force is produced by direct physical contact; an
example is the force exerted on a body by a supporting surface. On the other hand,
a body force is generated by virtue of the position of a body within a force field
such as a gravitational, electric, or magnetic field. An example of a body force is
your weight.
(ii) Concentrated or distributed forces: A contact force applied over a finite area is a
distributed force, while if the dimensions of area are negligible compared to the
dimensions of the body then the force is concentrated. Force can be distributed
over an area, volume or over line.
3. The forces 𝐹1 , 𝐹2 and 𝐹3 all of which act on point A of the bracket, are specified in three
different ways as shown in figure 1. Determine the x and y scalar components of each of
the three forces.
Resolve 𝐹1 and 𝐹2 : 𝐹1𝑥 = 600 cos 35° = 491 N, 𝐹1𝑦 = 600 sin 35° = 344 N,
4 3
𝐹2𝑥 = −500 (5) = −400 N, 𝐹2𝑦 = 500 (5) = 300 N
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0.2
Resolve 𝐹3 : Find 𝛼 = tan−1 0.4 = 26.6°
𝐹3𝑥 = 800 sin 26.6° = 358 N, 𝐹3𝑦 = −800 cos 26.6° = −716 N
a. The 500-N force F is applied to the vertical pole as shown in figure 2. Write F in
terms of the unit vectors i and j and identify both its vector and scalar components.
Solution
from figure above, F is written as:
𝐅 = (𝐹 cos 𝜃 )𝐢 − (𝐹 sin 𝜃 )𝐣
𝐅 = (500 cos 60°)𝐢 − (500 sin 60°)𝐣 = (250𝐢 − 433𝐣)N
The scalar components are 𝐹𝑥 = 250 N and 𝐹𝑦 = −433 N.
The vector components are 𝐅𝑥 = 250𝑖 N and 𝐅𝑦 = −433𝐣 N.
4. The 500-N force F is applied to the vertical pole as shown in figure 2. Determine the scalar
components of F along the x- and y’-axes.
The components of F along the x- and y’-
directions are nonrectangular and are obtained by completing the parallelogram as in figure
above, using the sine rule:
|𝐹𝑥 | 500
= sin 30° |𝐹𝑥 | = 1000 N
sin 90°
|𝐹𝑦′ | 500
= sin 30° |𝐹𝑦′| = 866 N
sin 60°
The required scalar components are the: 𝐹𝑥 = 1000 N, 𝐹𝑦′ = −866 N
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5. A force F of magnitude 50 N is exerted on the automobile parking-brake lever at the
position 𝑥 = 250 mm. Replace the force by an equivalent force-couple system at the pivot
O as shown in figure 3
Solution:
Using principle of moments. CCW is positive
∑ Mo = 50 cos 20° [0.1 cos 25° + 0.25 cos 10°] + 50 sin 20° [0.1 sin 25° +
0.25 sin 10°] = 17.29 Nm
Force – Couple system at O: 𝑅 = 50 N at 110° from horizontal, MO = 17.29 Nm
6. Calculate the magnitude of the moment about the base point O of the 600-N force in two
different ways at the same point A as shown in figure 4.
Solution
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Solution 1: The moment arm to the 600 N force
𝑑 = 4 cos 40° + 2 sin 40° = 4.35 m
By 𝑀 = 𝐹𝑑, the moment is clockwise
𝑀𝑜 = 600(4.35) = 2610 N. m
Solution 2: Replace the force by rectangular components at A,
𝐹1 = 600 cos 40° = 460 N, 𝐹2 = 600 sin 40° = 386 N, By Varignon’s theorem, the
moment is
𝑀𝑜 = 460(4) + 386(2) = 2610 N. m
7. Determine the magnitudes of the forces C and T, which, along with the other three forces
shown, act on the bridge-truss joint as shown in figure 1.3.
Solution 1 (Scalar Algebra): For the x-y axes as shown we have
[∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0]: 8 + 𝑇 cos 40° + 𝐶 sin 20° − 16 = 0, 0.766𝑇 + 0.342𝐶 = 8
[∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0]: 𝑇 sin 40° − 𝐶 cos 20° − 3 = 0, 0.643𝑇 − 0.940𝐶 = 3
𝑇 = 9.09 kN 𝐶 = 3.03 kN
Alternative solution:
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Solution 2 (Scalar Algebra): For the x’-y’ axes as shown we have
[∑ 𝐹𝑦′ = 0]: −𝐶 cos 20° − 3 cos 40° − 8 sin 40° + 16 sin 40° = 0
𝐶 = 3.03 kN
[∑ 𝐹𝑥′ = 0]: 𝑇 + 8 cos 40° − 16 cos 40° − 3 sin 40° − 3.03 sin 20° = 0
𝑇 = 9.09 kN
8. If the equal tensions T in the pulley cable are 400 N, express in vector notation the force R
exerted on the pulley by the two tensions. Determine the magnitude of R.
Solution:
𝑅𝑥 = ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 400 + 400 cos 60° = 600 N
𝑅𝒚 = ∑ 𝐹𝒚 = 400 sin 60° = 346 N
𝐑 = 600𝐢 + 346𝐣 N (1 mark)
[𝑅 = √𝑅𝑥2 + 𝑅𝑦2 ] 𝑅 = √(600)2 + (346)2 = 693 N
9. Determine the maximum value of which the mass 𝑚𝑜 may have so that the 100-kg block
shown in the figure will neither start moving up the plane nor slip down the plane. The
coefficient of static friction for the contact surfaces is 0.30.
The maximum value of the mass 𝑚𝑜 will be given by the requirement for motion
impending up the plane.
[∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0] 𝑁 − 100(9.81) cos 20° = 0, 𝑁 = 922 N
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[𝐹max = 𝜇𝑠 𝑁] 𝐹max = 0.30(922) = 277 N
[∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0] 𝑚𝑜 (9.81) − 277 − 981 sin 20° = 0, 𝑚𝑜 = 62.4 kg
10. Determine the resultant of the four forces and one couple which act on the plate shown in
figure 5 below.
[𝑅𝑥 = ∑ 𝐹𝑥 ] 𝑅𝑥 = 40 + 80 cos 30° − 60 cos 45° = 66.9 N
[𝑅𝑦 = ∑ 𝐹𝑦 ] 𝑅𝑦 = 50 + 80 sin 30° + 60 cos 45° = 132.4 N N
[𝑅 = √𝑅𝑥2 + 𝑅𝑦2 ] 𝑅 = √(66.9)2 + (132.4)2 = 148.3 N
𝑅𝑦 132.4
[𝜃 = tan−1 𝑅 ] 𝜃 = tan−1 = 63.2°
𝑥 66.9
[𝑀𝑂 = ∑(𝐹𝑑 )] 𝑀𝑂 = 140 − 50(5) + 60 cos 45° (4) − 60 sin 45° (7)
𝑀𝑂 = −237 N. m
[𝑅𝑑 = |𝑀𝑂 |] 148.3𝑑 = 237 𝑑 = 1.6 m
11. Determine the magnitude T of the tension in the supporting cable and the magnitude of the
force on the pin at A for the jib crane shown in figure 6 below. The beam AB is a standard
0.5-m I-beam with a mass of 95 kg per meter of length.
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Solution: Beam weight,
𝑊 = 95(5)9.81 = 4660 N = 4.66 kN
[∑ 𝑀𝐴 = 0] (𝑇 cos 25°)0.25 + (𝑇 sin 25°)(5 − 0.12) − 10(5 − 1.5 − 0.12) − 4.66(2.5 −
0.12) = 0
𝑇 = 19.61 kN
Equating the sums of forces in the x- and y-directions to zero gives:
[∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0] 𝐴𝑥 − 19.61 cos 25° = 0 𝐴𝑥 = 17.77 kN
[∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0] 𝐴𝑦 + 19.61 sin 25° − 4.66 − 10 = 0 𝐴𝑦 = 6.37 kN
[𝐴 = √𝐴2𝑥 + 𝐴2𝑦 ] 𝐴 = √(17.77)2 + (6.37)2 = 18.88 kN
12. Determine the force in each member of the simple equilateral truss in figure 7.
Solution:
Load = 75(9.81) = 736 N
𝐵𝐶 cos 30° − 𝐴𝐵 cos 30° = 0, sin 30° + 𝐴𝐵 sin 30° = 736 , solving to get:
𝐴𝐵 = 736 N T, 𝐵𝐶 = 736 N C
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𝐴𝐶 = 𝐴𝐵 sin 30° = 736 sin 30° = 368 N T
13. Define the following terminology:
a) Free-body diagram: is a diagrammatic representation of the isolated system treated
as a single body.
b) Fixed vector: is one for which a unique point of application is specified.
c) Three-force member: which is a body under the action of three forces.
d) Statically indeterminate body: A rigid body, or rigid combination of elements
treated as a single body, which possesses more external supports or constraints than
are necessary to maintain an equilibrium position.
14. Mention the four categories of equilibrium.
a) Collinear force system.
b) Concurrent force system.
c) Parallel force system.
d) General force system.
15. Forces 𝑭𝟏 and 𝑭𝟐 act on the bracket as shown. Determine the projection F of their resultant
R onto the b-axis.
Velocity time graph:
Solution
Using cosine rule:
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𝑅 2 = (80)2 + (100)2 − 2(80)(100) cos 130°,
𝑅 = 163.4 N
𝐹𝑏 = 80 + 100 cos 50° = 144.3 N
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