ME 121: Engineering Mechanics

ME 121: Engineering Mechanics
Objectives
• Concept of moment of a force in two and three
dimensions
• Method for finding the moment of a force about a
specified axis.
Outline
1. Moment of a Force – Scalar Formation
2. Cross Product
3. Moment of Force – Vector Formulation
4. Principle of Moments
5. Moment of a Force about a Specified Axis

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 Fx or simple
moment (Mo) z
 The moment of a force about a point or axis can be defined as a
measure of the tendency of the force to cause a body to rotate
about the point of axis.
 For example, consider the horizontal force Fx which acts
perpendicular to the handle of the wrench. This horizontal force is
located at a distance dy from point O as shown in Figure 4.1 (a).
Moment of a Force: Scalar
Formulation
 It can be seen from Figure 4.1 (a) that this force tends to
cause the pipe to rotate and turn about the z axis.
 The turning effect will be larger if this force is larger and
also if the distance dy is larger.
 The tendency for rotation caused by Fx is generally called
torque, but most of the time it is called the moment of a
force or simply the moment. This moment is given a symbol
( Mo)z.
 Please note that the moment axis ( z ) is normal to the
shaded plane ( x and y ) which contains both Fx and dy and
that this axis intersects the plane at point O.
Magnitude
• For magnitude of MO,
MO = Fd (Nm)
where d = perpendicular distance
from O to its line of action of force
Direction
• Direction using “right hand rule”
Properties of a Moment
• Moments not only have

a magnitude, they also
have a sense to them.
• The sense of a moment

is clockwise or counter-
clockwise depending
on which way it will
tend to make the object
rotate
Magnitude
 The magnitude of Mo can be defined as
Mo = Fd
where d is referred to as moment arm or perpendicular distance

from the axis at point O to the line of action of the force applied.
 Units for the moment magnitude is force times the distance and
it is commonly expressed as N.m.
Direction
 The direction of Mo can be easily determined by applying the “right
hand rule”.
 To apply this rule, the right hand fingers are curled such that they
follow the common sense of rotation, which would occur if the force
could rotate about point O as shown in Figure 4.2 (a).
 The thumb then points along the moment axis so that it gives the
direction and sense of the moment vector, which is upward and normal
to the shaded plane containing F and d.
 The direction of the moment Mo shown in Figure 4.2 (a) is a three
dimensional representation of the moment. This moment can be
simplified and re-represented in two dimensional as shown in Figure
4.2 (b).
 Here Mo is shown by counterclockwise curl which indicates the action of
a force F.
Summary
Example
Example (contd.)
Example (contd.)
Illustration
Principle of Moments
For a body at equilibrium about a pivot, the

principle of moments states that:
Sum of clockwise = Sum of anti-clockwise
moments about moments about the pivot
the pivot
Example
Example (contd.)
Clockwise & Anticlockwise
Moment
Why don’t cranes fall over?
Tower cranes are essential at any major construction site.
trolley
load arm
counterweight
loading platform
tower
Concrete counterweights are fitted to the crane’s short arm.

Why are these needed for lifting heavy loads?
Using the principle of moments, when is the crane balanced?
3m
6m
? 10,000 N
moment of = moment of
load counterweight
If a 10,000 N counterweight is three meters from the

tower, what weight can be lifted when the loading
platform is six meters from the tower?
moment of = load x distance of load from tower
load
= ? x 6
moment of = counterweight x distance of counterweight

counterweight from tower
= 10,000 x 3
= 30,000 Nm
moment of load = moment of counterweight

? x 6 = 30,000
? = 3,000
6
? = 5,000 N
Testing the principle of moments
Example:1
For each case, determine the moment of the force about

point O.
Example:1 (contd.)
 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.
(a )M o  (100N )(2m )  200N.m(CW )
Example:1 (contd.)
(b )M o  (50N )(0.75m )  37.5N.m(CW )
(c )M o  ( 40N )( 4m  2 cos 30  m )  229N.m(CW )

Example:1 (contd.)
(d )M o  (60N )(1sin 45  m )  42.4N.m(CCW )

Resultant Moment
• Resultant moment, MRo = moments of all the forces
MRo = ∑Fd
Example: 2
Example:2 (contd.)
Moment of Force - Vector Formulation
• Moment of force F about point O can be expressed
using cross product
MO = r X F
Magnitude
• For magnitude of cross product,
MO = rF sinθ
• Treat r as a sliding vector. Since d = r sinθ,
MO = rF sinθ = F (rsinθ) = Fd
Direction
• Direction and sense of MO 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
Principle of Transmissibility
• The principle of transmissibility of force states

that shifting of the point of application of a force
acting on a body to any other point on the line of
action of the force without changing its direction
cases no change in the equilibrium state of the
body i.e., the condition of motion of the body
remains unchanged.
Principle of Transmissibility
• For force F applied at any point A, moment created

about O is MO = rA x F
• F has the properties of a sliding vector, thus
MO = r1 X F = r2 X F = r3 X F
Note: Principle of Transmissibility
• The principle is valid only for rigid bodies (i.e., its

dimensions don’t change during the course of
observation).
• It is considered that no internal forces develop in the

body and the body does not deform due to application of
force.
• The sole effect of the force is on the state of motion of

the body.
Cartesian Vector Formulation
• For force expressed in Cartesian form,
  
i j k
  
M O  r XF  rx ry rz
Fx Fy Fz
• With the determinant expended,

MO = (ryFz – rzFy)i
– (rxFz - rzFx)j + (rxFy – yFx)k
Resultant Moment of a System of Forces
• Resultant moment of forces about point O can be
determined by vector addition
MRo = ∑(r x F)
Example : 3
Determine the moment
produced by the force F
in figure shown about
point O. Express the
result as a Cartesian
vector.
Example : 3 (contd.)
• Thus
Or
Example : 4
Two forces act on the rod. Determine the resultant moment
they create about the flange at O. Express the result as a
Cartesian vector.
Position vectors are directed from point O to each force as
shown. These vectors are
rA   5 j m
rB   4i  5 j  2k  m
The resultant moment about O is

M O    r  F   rA  F  rB  F
i j k i j k
 0 5 0  4 5 2
 60 40 20 80 40  30
  30i  40 j  60k  kN  m
Principles of Moments
• Also known as Varignon’s 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 = F1 + F2,
MO = r X F
= r X (F1 + F2)
= r X F1 + r X F2
Example: 5
Determine the moment of the force about point O.
Example: 5 (contd.)
The moment arm d can be found from trigonometry,
Thus, d   3 sin 75  2.898 m
M O  Fd   5 2.898  14.5 kN  m
Since the force tends to rotate or orbit clockwise about

point O, the moment is directed into the page.

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ME 121: Engineering Mechanics

• Concept of moment of a force in two and three

• Method for finding the moment of a force about a

1. Moment of a Force – Scalar Formation

3. Moment of Force – Vector Formulation

5. Moment of a Force about a Specified Axis

• Moments not only have

• The sense of a moment

 The magnitude of Mo can be defined as

where d is referred to as moment arm or perpendicular distance

For a body at equilibrium about a pivot, the

Concrete counterweights are fitted to the crane’s short arm.

If a 10,000 N counterweight is three meters from the

moment of = counterweight x distance of counterweight

moment of load = moment of counterweight

For each case, determine the moment of the force about

(c )M o  ( 40N )( 4m  2 cos 30  m )  229N.m(CW )

(d )M o  (60N )(1sin 45  m )  42.4N.m(CCW )

- Maintain proper order of r and F

• The principle of transmissibility of force states

• For force F applied at any point A, moment created

• F has the properties of a sliding vector, thus

• The principle is valid only for rigid bodies (i.e., its

• It is considered that no internal forces develop in the

• The sole effect of the force is on the state of motion of

• With the determinant expended,

“Moment of a force about a point is equal to the sum of

Since the force tends to rotate or orbit clockwise about

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