EXAMPLE 3.2.1: RESULTANT OF SPATIAL FORCES

Shown is a bracket subjected to two forces. Express each force in Cartesian vector form and then determine the resultant force FR. Identify the magnitude and coordinate direction angles of the resultant force.

To take the resultant of spatial forces such as this problem, we should start working with each force's Cartesian representation or its -i, -j, -k form. In order to do this, observe that what were given in the problem are angles and not distances. This means that instead of taking note of the points' coordinates, we should use trigonometric functions to find the components.

FOR FORCE F1

Force F1 with a magnitude of 250N is inclined in the x-y axis at  and from that plane it was inclined down at . So if we take the vertical plane which would show xy as the horizontal and -z as the vertical we can compute for the component of F1 in the z-axis and xy-axis.

The z-component is already determined. The next thing to do is to break down Fxy into components x and y to complete the Cartesian vector form of force F1.

Fxy is then considered as the resultant force if we are going to look at the x-y plane. So we compute for the components








So, F1 in vector form is as follows:





FOR FORCE F2

If you take a closer look at force F2, you will notice that the force has angles given in the -x, -y, and -z axes already. So this would make the computation of the components easier than that of Force F1.








So F2 in vector form is




THE RESULTANT FORCE

Similar with 2D forces, the resultant force is computed by taking the summation of the components and utilizing the Pythagorean theorem. So,


 

FORCE	i	j	k
F1	86.547	185.601	-143.394
F2	-200	282.85	200
summation	-113.453	468.451	56.606

Using Pythagorean theorem, we will be able to solve for the magnitude of the resultant

                    ANSWER

In order to solve for the direction coordinate angles, use the principle of unit vector.






                                    ANSWER



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