Introduction-Lecture 3

Engineering Mechanics - ME102

Rishi Raj

Courtesy: TMH

Rectangular Components of the

Moment of a Force
For two-dimensional structures,

M O xFy yFx k
MO MZ
xFy yFx

M B x A xB Fy y A y B Fx k
MB MZ
x A xB Fy y A y B Fx

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Sample Problem 3.1

A 500-N vertical force is applied to the end of a lever
which is attached to a shaft (not shown) at O.
Determine:

0.6 m
500 N

a) the moment about O,

b) the horizontal force at A which creates the same
moment,

c) the smallest force at A which produces the same

moment,
d) the location for a 1200-N vertical force to
produce the same moment,
e) whether any of the forces from b, c, and d is
equivalent to the original force.

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Sample Problem 3.1

0.6 m
500 N

a) Moment about O is equal to the product of the

force and the perpendicular distance between the
line of action of the force and O. Since the force
tends to rotate the lever clockwise, the moment
vector is into the plane of the paper which, by our
sign convention, would be negative or
counterclockwise.

M O Fd
d 0.6 m cos 60 0.3 m
M O 500 N 0.3 m 150 N.m

MO 150 N m

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Sample Problem 3.1

b) Horizontal force at A that produces the same
moment,
0.6 m

d 0.6 m sin 60 0.52 m

M O Fd
150 N m F 0.52 m
150 N m
F 288.5 N
F
0.52 m

Why must the direction of this F be to the right?

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Sample Problem 3.1

F(min) ?

0.6 m

What is the smallest force at A which produces

the same moment? Think about it and discuss with
a neighbor.
c) The smallest force at A to produce the same
moment occurs when the perpendicular distance is
a maximum or when F is perpendicular to OA.
M O Fd
150 N m F 0.6 m
150 N m
F
0.6 m

F 250 N

rraj@iitp.ac.in

30o

Sample Problem 3.1

d) To determine the point of application of a 1200 N
force to produce the same moment,
1200 N

M O Fd
150 N m 1200 N d
150 N m
d
0.125 m
120 0 N
d OB cos 60

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OB 0.25 m

Sample Problem 3.1

0.6 m
500 N

0.6 m

e) Although each of the forces in parts b), c), and d)

produces the same moment as the 500 N force, none
are of the same magnitude and sense, or on the same
line of action. None of the forces is equivalent to the
1200 N force.

0.6 m
1200 N

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Sample Problem 3.4

Solution
How do you find the moment? What is
the equation for this moment? Discuss
this with a neighbor and describe in
detail each variable in your equation,
including (a) how you would write it,
(b) what its units are, and (c) whether
or not there are any alternative
variables that could take its place.
The rectangular plate is supported by
the brackets at A and B and by a wire
CD. Knowing that the tension in the
wire is 200 N, determine the moment
about A of the force exerted by the
wire at C.
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The moment MA of the force F exerted

by the wire is obtained by evaluating
the vector product,
M A rC A F
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Sample Problem 3.4

SOLUTION:
M A rC A F

rC A AC rC rA 0.3 m i 0.08 m k

CD
F F 200 N
CD
0.3 m i 0.24 m j 0.32 m k
200 N
0.5 m
120 N i 96 N j 128 N k
i
j
k
M A 0.3
0 0.08
120 96 128

MA 7.68 N mi 28.8 N mj 28.8 N mk

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Moment of a Force About a Given

Axis
Moment MO of a force F applied at the point A
about a point O,
MO r F

Scalar moment MOL about an axis OL is the

projection of the moment vector MO onto the
axis,
M OL MO r F

Moments of F about the coordinate axes,

M x yFz zFy
M y zFx xFz
M z xFy yFx

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Moment of a Force About a Given

Axis
Moment of a force about an arbitrary axis,

M BL M B
rA B F

rA B rA rB
The result is independent of the point B
along the given axis. That is, the same
result can be obtained using rA C , for
example.

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Sample Problem 3.5

A cube is acted on by a force P as
shown. Determine the moment of P
a)
b)
c)
d)

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about A,
about the edge AB and
about the diagonal AG of the cube.
Determine the perpendicular distance
between AG and FC.

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Sample Problem 3.5

Moment of P about A,
M A rF A P

rF A ai a j ai j

P P 1 / 2 j 1 / 2k P / 2 j k
M A ai j P / 2 j k

M A aP / 2 i j k

Moment of P about AB,

M AB i M A

i aP / 2 i j k
M AB aP / 2

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Sample Problem 3.5

Moment of P about the diagonal AG,
M AG M A
AG ai aj ak
1
i j k

AG
a 3
3
aP
i j k
MA
2
1
i j k aP i j k
M AG
3
2
aP
aP
M

1 1 1

AG
6
6

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Sample Problem 3.5

Perpendicular distance between AG and FC,
P
j k 1 i j k P 0 1 1
2
3
6
0 since by definition P = P 1 cos

Therefore, P is perpendicular to AG.

M AG

aP
Pd
6

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a
6

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Moment of a Couple
Two forces F and -F having the same magnitude,
parallel lines of action, and opposite sense are said
to form a couple.

Moment of the couple,

You can again draw r from any

point on F to any point on -F

M rA F rB F
rA rB F
r F
M rF sin Fd

The moment vector of the couple is

independent of the choice of the origin of the
coordinate axes, i.e., it is a free vector that can
be applied at any point with the same effect.

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Moment of a Couple
Two couples will have equal moments if
F1d1 F2 d 2
the two couples lie in parallel planes, and
the two couples have the same sense or
the tendency to cause rotation in the same
direction.

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Couples Can Be Represented by

Vectors

A couple can be represented by a vector with magnitude

and direction equal to the moment of the couple.
Couple vectors obey the law of addition of vectors.
Couple vectors are free vectors, i.e., there is no point of
application it simply acts on the body.
Couple vectors may be resolved into component vectors.

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Resolution of a Force Into a Force at

O and a Couple

Force vector F cannot be simply moved to O without modifying its

action on the body.
Attaching equal and opposite force vectors at O produces no net
effect on the body.

The three forces may be replaced by an equivalent force vector and

couple vector, i.e., a force-couple system.

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Sample Problem 3.6

Determine the components of the

single couple equivalent to the
couples shown.

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Sample Problem 3.6

Attach equal and opposite 100 N forces
in the x direction at A
The three couples may be represented by
three couple vectors,
M x 150 N 0.46 m 69 N m
M y 100 N 0.3 m 30 N m
M z 100 N 0.23 m 23 N m
M 69 N m i 30 N m j
23 N m k

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Sample Problem 3.6

Alternatively, compute the sum of the
moments of the four forces about D.
Only the forces at C and E contribute to
the moment about D.
M M D 0.46 m j 150 N k
0.23 m j 0.3 m k 100 N i
M 69 N m i 30 N m j
23 N m k

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Reduction of a System of Forces to One Force and One Couple

A system of forces may be replaced by a collection of

force-couple systems acting at a given point O.
The force and couple vectors may be combined into a
resultant force vector and a resultant couple vector,
R F
MOR MO r F
The force-couple system at O may be moved to O
with the addition of the moment of R about O ,
MOR' MOR s R
Two systems of forces are equivalent if they can be
reduced to the same force-couple system.
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Further Reduction of a System of

Forces
If the resultant force and couple at O are mutually
perpendicular, they can be replaced by a single force acting
along a new line of action.
The resultant force-couple system for a system of forces
will be mutually perpendicular if:
1) the forces are concurrent,
2) the forces are coplanar, or
3) the forces are parallel.

rraj@iitp.ac.in

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Further Reduction of a System of

Forces
System of coplanar forces is reduced to a
force-couple system R and M OR that is
mutually perpendicular.
System can be reduced to a single force
by moving the line of action of R until
its moment about O becomes M OR .

HW: Submit tomorrow

The resultant force-couple system for a system of
forces will be mutually perpendicular if:
2) the forces are coplanar, or
3) the forces are parallel

rraj@iitp.ac.in

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Further Reduction of a System of

Forces
System of coplanar forces is reduced to a
force-couple system R and M OR that is
mutually perpendicular.
System can be reduced to a single force
by moving the line of action of R until
its moment about O becomes M OR .

HW: Submit tomorrow

The resultant force-couple system for a system of
forces will be mutually perpendicular if:
2) the forces are coplanar, or
3) the forces are parallel

rraj@iitp.ac.in

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Summary: Chapter 3
Principle of transmissibility
Moment of a force about a point
Vector product of the r (vector from point about which moment is to be
calculated to any point along the line of action of the force) and F
Moment of a force about an axis
Dot product of the moment of the force (about any point on the axis)
and the unit vector along the axis
Two forces having same magnitude, line of action but opposite sense form
couple
Any force F acting at a point A on a body can be replaced by a force-couple
system at an arbitrary point O
If the resultant force and couple at O are mutually perpendicular, they can
be replaced by a single force acting along a new line of action
rraj@iitp.ac.in

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Sample Problem 3.8

SOLUTION:

a) Compute the resultant force and the

resultant couple at A.
R F
150 N j 600 N j 100 N j 250 N j
R 600 N j
M RA r F
1.6 i 600 j 2.8 i 100 j
4.8 i 250 j
M RA 1880 N m k

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Sample Problem 3.8

b) Find an equivalent force-couple system at B
based on the force-couple system at A.
The force is unchanged by the movement of the
force-couple system from A to B.
R (600 N) j

The couple at B is equal to the moment about B

of the force-couple system found at A.
M RB M RA rA B R

1880 N m k 4.8 m i 600 N j

1880 N m k 2880 N m k

M RB (1000 N . m) k

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Sample Problem 3.8

c) Determine the point of application for the
resultant force such that its moment about A
is equal to the resultant couple at A.
Resultant of given system of forces is equal
to R, and its point of application must be
such that the moment of R about A is
equal to M RA .
r R M RA
x i 600 N j 1800 N . m k
x 600 N k 1800 N . m k

R 600 N j

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x 3.13 m

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