Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd

2.5 Moment of a Force Scalar Formation

Moment of a force about a point or axis a measure
of the tendency of the force to cause a body to rotate
about the point or axis
Torque tendency of rotation caused by F
x
or simple
moment (M
o
)
z
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
2.5 Moment of a Force Scalar Formation
Magnitude
For magnitude of M
O
,
M
O
= Fd (Nm)
where d = perpendicular distance
from O to its line of action of force
Direction
Direction using right hand rule
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
2.5 Moment of a Force Scalar Formation
Resultant Moment
Resultant moment, M
Ro
= moments of all the forces
M
Ro
= Fd
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Example 2.7
For each case, determine the moment of the force about
point O.
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
Solution
Line of action is extended as a dashed line to establish
moment arm d.
Tendency to rotate is indicated and the orbit is shown as
a colored curl.
) ( . 200 ) 2 )( 100 ( ) ( CW m N m N M a
o
= =
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
Solution
) ( . 5 . 37 ) 75 . 0 )( 50 ( ) ( CW m N m N M b
o
= =
) ( . 229 ) 30 cos 2 4 )( 40 ( ) ( CW m N m m N M c
o
= + =

Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
Solution
) ( . 4 . 42 ) 45 sin 1 )( 60 ( ) ( CCW m N m N M d
o
= =

) ( . 0 . 21 ) 1 4 )( 7 ( ) ( CCW m kN m m kN M e
o
= =
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2.6 Cross Product
Cross product of two vectors A and B yields C, which
is written as
C = A X B
Magnitude
Magnitude of C is the product of
the magnitudes of A and B
For angle , 0 180
C = AB sin
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
2.6 Cross Product
Direction
Vector C has a direction that is perpendicular to the
plane containing A and B such that C is specified by
the right hand rule
Expressing vector C when
magnitude and direction are known
C = A X B = (AB sin)u
C
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
2.6 Cross Product
Laws of Operations
1. Commutative law is not valid
A X B B X A
Rather,
A X B = - B X A
Cross product A X B yields a
vector opposite in direction to C
B X A = -C
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
2.6 Cross Product
Laws of Operations
2. Multiplication by a Scalar
a( A X B ) = (aA) X B = A X (aB) = ( A X B )a
3. Distributive Law
A X ( B + D ) = ( A X B ) + ( A X D )
Proper order of the cross product must be maintained
since they are not commutative
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
2.6 Cross Product
Cartesian Vector Formulation
Use C = AB sin on pair of Cartesian unit vectors
A more compact determinant in the form as
z y x
z y x
B B B
A A A
k j i
B X A

=
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
2.7 Moment of Force - Vector Formulation
Moment of force F about point O can be expressed
using cross product
M
O
= r X F
Magnitude
For magnitude of cross product,
M
O
= rF sin
Treat r as a sliding vector. Since d = r sin,
M
O
= rF sin = F (rsin) = Fd
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
2.7 Moment of Force - Vector Formulation
Direction
Direction and sense of M
O
are determined by right-
hand rule
*Note:
- curl of the fingers indicates the sense of rotation
- Maintain proper order of r and F since cross product
is not commutative
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
2.7 Moment of Force - Vector Formulation
Principle of Transmissibility
For force F applied at any point A, moment created
about O is M
O
= r
A
x F
F has the properties of a sliding vector, thus
M
O
= r
1
X F = r
2
X F = r
3
X F
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
2.7 Moment of Force - Vector Formulation
Cartesian Vector Formulation
For force expressed in Cartesian form,
With the determinant expended,
M
O
= (r
y
F
z
r
z
F
y
)i
+(r
z
F
x
- r
x
F
z
)j + (r
x
F
y
r
y
F
x
)k
z y x
z y x O
F F F
r r r
k j i
F X r M

= =
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
2.7 Moment of Force - Vector Formulation
Resultant Moment of a System of Forces
Resultant moment of forces about point O can be
determined by vector addition
M
Ro
= (r x F)
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
Example 2.8
Two forces act on the rod. Determine the resultant
moment they create about the flange at O. Express the
result as a Cartesian vector.
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
Solution
Position vectors are directed from point O to each force
as shown.
These vectors are
The resultant moment about O is
{ }
{ }m 2 5 4
m 5
k j i r
j r
B
A
+ =
=
( )
{ } m kN 60 40 30
30 40 80
2 5 4
20 40 60
0 5 0
+ =

+

=
+ = =

k j i
k j i k j i
F r F r F r M
B A O

Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd

2.8 Principles of Moments
Also known as Varignons Theorem
Moment of a force about a point is equal to the sum of
the moments of the forces components about the point
Since F = F
1
+ F
2
,
M
O
= r X F
= r X (F
1
+ F
2
)
= r X F
1
+ r X F
2
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
Example 2.9
Determine the moment of the force about point O.
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
Solution
The moment arm d can be found from trigonometry,
Thus,
Since the force tends to rotate or orbit clockwise about
point O, the moment is directed into the page.
( ) m 898 . 2 75 sin 3 = = d
( )( ) m kN 5 . 14 898 . 2 5 = = = Fd M
O
Tutorials
1- The throttle-control sector pivots freely at O. If an internal torsional
spring exerts a return moment M=1.8 N.mon the sector when in the
position shown, for design purposes determine the necessary
throttle-cable tension T so that the net moment about O is zero.
Note that whne T is zero, the sector rests against the idle-control
adjustment screw at R.
Tutorials
2- A prybar is used to remove a
nail as shown. Determine the
moment of the 240 N force
about the point O of contact
between the prybar and the
small support block.
Tutorials
3- Compute the moment of the 1.6 N force about the pivot
O of the wall switch toggle.
Tutorials
4- The lower lumbar region A of
the spine is the part of the
spinal column most
susceptible to abuse while
resisting excessive bending
caused by the moment about
A of a force F. For given
values of F, b and h,
determine the angle which
causes the most severe
bending strain.
Tutorials
1- Replace the force couple system at point O by a single
force. Specify the coordinate y
A
of the point on the y-axis
through which the line of action of this resultant force
pass.
Tutorials
2- The tie-rod AB exerts the 250N
force on the steering knuckle AO
as shown. Replace this force by
an equivalent force-couple
system at O.
Tutorials
3- The system consisting of the
bar OA, two identical pulleys,
and a section of thin tape is
subjected to the two 180N
tensile forces shown in the
figure. Determine the
equivalent force couple system
as point O.
Tutorials
4- The device shown ia a part of an automobile seat back release
mechanism. The part is subjected to the 4 N force exerted at A and a
300Nmm restoring moment exerted by a hidden torsional spring.
Determine the y-intercept of the line of action of the single equivalent
force.
(Ry/Rx)
Tutorials
1- Two rods and one cable are attached to the support at O. If two of
the forces are as shown, determine the magnitude F and direction
of the third force so that the resultant of the three forces is vertically
downward with a magnitude of 6kN.
Tutorials
2- The flanged steel cantilever beam with riveted bracket is
subjected to the couple and two forces shown, and their
effect on the design of the attachment at A must be
determined. Replace the two forces and couple by an
equivalent couple M and resultant force R at A.
Tutorials
3- Under nonuniformand slippery road conditions, the four
forces shown are exerted on the four drive wheels of the
all wheel drive vehicle. Determine the resultant of this
system and the x-and y- intercepts of its line of action.
Note that the front and rear tracks are equal (i.e. AB =
CD)