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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)

POSITION VECTORS

 You will appreciate that the position

vector is of importance in formulating a
Cartesian force vector directed between
two points in space

 Later in the course you will use the

position vector to calculate moment of
force

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
POSITION VECTORS
x, y, z Coordinates
 Throughout the course we will use a right-
handed coordinate system to reference the
location of points in space.
 The positive z axis to be directed upward so
that it measures the height of an object or
the altitude of a point.
 The x, y axes then lie in the horizontal plane,
 Points in space are located relative to the
origin of coordinates, O,
Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01
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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
POSITION VECTORS

 A position vector r is defined as a fixed vector which

locates a point in space relative to another point

 For example, if r extends from the origin of

coordinates, O, to point P(x, y, z)

 then r can be expressed in Cartesian vector form as

r = xi + yj + zk

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
POSITION VECTORS

 r = xi + yj + zk
 Note how the head-to-tail vector addition of the
three components yields vector r,
 Starting at the origin O, one “travels” x in the +i
direction, then y in the +j direction, and finally z in
the +k direction to arrive at point P(x, y, z).

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
POSITION VECTORS

 In other cases, the position vector may be

directed from point A to point B in space
 This vector is also designated by the
symbol r
 As a matter of convention, we will
sometimes refer to this vector with two
subscripts to indicate from and to the point
where it is directed. Thus, r can also be
designated as r AB

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
POSITION VECTORS

 From Fig. shown, by the head-to-tail vector

addition, using the triangle rule, we require
rA + r = rB
 Solving for r and expressing rA and rB in
Cartesian vector form yields
r = rB - rA = (xBi + yBj + zBk) - (xAi + yAj + zAk)
 Or

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
POSITION VECTORS

 We can also form these components directly,

by starting at A and moving through a
distance of (xB - xA) along the positive x axis
(+i)
 then (yB - yA) along the positive y axis (+j),
and
 finally (zB - zA) along the positive z axis (+k)
to get to B.

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
POSITION VECTORS – EXAMPLE 2.7

QUESTION
 Determine the lengths of wires AD, BD, and
CD. The ring at D is midway between A and
B

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
POSITION VECTORS – EXAMPLE 2.7

SOLUTION

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
Force Vector Directed Along a Line

 Often in 3D statics problems, the direction of

a force is specified by two points through
which its line of action passes.
 Such a situation is shown, where the force F is
directed along the cord AB.
 We can formulate F as a Cartesian vector by
realizing that it has the same direction and
sense as the position vector r directed from
point A to point B on the cord.
Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01
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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
Force Vector Directed Along a Line

 This common direction is specified by the unit

vector u = r/r.
 Hence,

 Note that F has units of force and r has units of

length.

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
Force Vector Directed Along a Line

 This common direction is specified by

the unit vector u = r/r.
 Hence,

 Note that F has units of force and r has

units of length.

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
POSITION VECTORS – EXAMPLE 2.8

QUESTION
 Express FB and FC in Cartesian vector
form

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
POSITION VECTORS – EXAMPLE 2.8

SOLUTION
 Express FB and FC in Cartesian vector
form

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
POSITION VECTORS – EXAMPLE 2.8
SOLUTION

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01

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THE END

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
DOT PRODUCT

Occasionally in statics one has to find the angle between two lines or the
components of a force parallel and perpendicular to a line.
In two dimensions, these problems can readily be solved by trigonometry
since the geometry is easy to visualize
In 3D, however, this is often difficult, and consequently vector methods should
be employed for the solution
The dot product, which defines a particular method for“multiplying” two
vectors, can be used to solve these problems

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
DOT PRODUCT

The dot product of vectors A and B, written A.B is

defined as the product of the magnitudes of A and B and
the cosine of the angle θ between their tails
In equation form, A.B = Abcosθ where 0° ≤ θ ≤ 180°
The dot product is often referred to as the scalar product
of vectors since the result is a scalar and not a vector

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
DOT PRODUCT

Laws of Operation
Commutative law: A.B = B.A

Multiplication by a scalar: a(A.B) = (aA).B = A.(aB)

Distributive law: A.(B+D) = (A.B) + (A.D)

.

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
DOT PRODUCT

Cartesian Vector Formulation

The Dot Product eqn must be used to find the dot product for any two
Cartesian unit vector
For example, i.i=(1)(1) cos0°=1 and i.j=(1)(1) cos90°=0. WHY???

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
DOT PRODUCT

Cartesian Vector Formulation

If we want to find the dot product of two general vectors A and B that are
expressed in Cartesian vector form, then we have

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
DOT PRODUCT
Cartesian Vector Formulation
Carrying out the dot-product operations, the final result becomes
Confirm!

Thus, to determine the dot product of two Cartesian vectors, MULTIPLY

their corresponding x, y, z components and SUM these products
algebraically

Note that the result will be either a POSITIVE or NEGATIVE scalar, or it

JQL
could be ZERO SCALAR 22/03/2021
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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
DOT PRODUCT

Applications
The dot product has two important applications in
mechanics.
1) The angle formed between two vectors or intersecting
lines
The angle θ between the tails of vectors P and Q can be
calculated using

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
DOT PRODUCT

Applications
Or the angle θ between the tails of vectors A and B can be
calculated using

Notice that if A.B = 0, θ=cos^-1(0) = 90° so that A will

be perpendicular to B.

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
DOT PRODUCT
Applications
2) The components of a vector parallel and
perpendicular to a line. Or projection of one vector on
another
The component of vector A parallel to or collinear
with the line aa in Fig shown is defined by Aa where
Aa = Acosθ
If the direction of the line is specified by the unit
vector ua, then since ua = 1, we can determine the
MAGNITUDE of Aa directly from the dot product
i.e
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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
DOT PRODUCT
Applications
The perpendicular component of A can also be
obtained since
A = Aa + A⅃, then A⅃ = A - Aa
There are two possible ways of obtaining A⅃. One
way would be to determine θ from the dot product,
θ = cosˉ1(A.uA/A); then A⅃ = A sinθ.
Alternatively, if Aa is known, then by the
Pythagorean theorem we can also write

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
DOT PRODUCT
Applications
2) The components of a vector parallel and
perpendicular to a line.
The component of vector A parallel to or
collinear with the line aa in Fig below is
defined by Aa where Aa = Acosθ
If the direction of the line is specified by the
unit vector ua, then since ua = 1, we can
determine the magnitude of Aa directly from
the dot product i.e
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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
DOT PRODUCT – EXAMPLE 3.7

SOLUTION _2-116
Determine the angle between the y axis of the pole and the wire AB.

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FORCE VECTORS IN SPACE (3D)
DOT PRODUCT – EXAMPLE 3.6

SOLUTION

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THE END

Eng P. Ng'andu BEng. MSc. MEIZ. [email protected] 2024-10-01