RESULTANT OF COPLANAR FORCES

CONCURRENT FORCE SYSTEM

SOLVED PROBLEMS

Solved Problems :1)

Find the resultant of the forces acting on a particle A.

A

450N
O

300

500N

3
300N

4
250N

Solution: [Sum is solved according to steps listed in Theory]

Step : 1 & 2) Draw diagram again and resolve the forces : Note that for 250 N force
we make use of a triangle to find angle i.e. to find tan =

tan-1

RESULTANT OF COPLANAR FORCES

CONCURRENT FORCE SYSTEM

SOLVED PROBLEMS

= 36.86

4
Step 3)

= 450
=

300 cos 30

9.807 N

250 cos 36.86

= 9.807 N ( )

= 500 + 250 sin 36.87

300 sin 30

= 500 N ()
Step 4) R =

= tan-1

.. Answer

= 500.09 N

= 88.880

{ Understanding :
Remember all arrows together and wherever an angle is present that component is
'cos'
Step (3) Add up all forces in X direction ;forces along +ve x axis are +ve and along ve x axis are - ve and get

similarly find

Remember to write magnitude of

and

and direction to be denoted by

arrows.
Step (4) use formula for R & . Mark
in a second quadrant we get that from

direction for as it shows that resultant lies

()and

()Don't consider -ve sign

while taking values of . }

RESULTANT OF COPLANAR FORCES

2)

CONCURRENT FORCE SYSTEM

SOLVED PROBLEMS

Determine the force 'F' in string BC if the resultant of forces acting at B is

vertical. Also find the resultant.
B
0

120

45

60

30KN

20KN
F

Solution :
B
0

450

120

600

30cos45
20cos12

F
20sin12

30sin45

20KN

Fcos60

30KN
A

Fsin60

{Angle of forces should be with vertical or horizontal for resolution. Hence

angle of force 'F is 600 with x axis}
Now, Since the resultant is vertical, ......[Given]

=0 &

= 20cos 12 + F cos 60

=R
30 cos 45 = 0

= 3.3 kN Answer

Also,
=

20cos 12

= 20cos 12

F cos 60
3.3 sin 60

30 cos 45
30 sin 45

RESULTANT OF COPLANAR FORCES

CONCURRENT FORCE SYSTEM

SOLVED PROBLEMS

= 28.23 kN
= 28.23 kN ()
{

.. Answer

Understanding:
Any resultant has two components

&

Now since Resultant is vertical, the x component of Resultant will be zero.

FY
FY

R
R

900
FX

FX

General Representation
we can say that
3)

(ii) Resultant is vertical

= R cos 90 = 0 & from (ii)

= R sin 90 = R

Find the force F4 so as to give the resultant of the force system shown below :

F2 =300N
F1 =300N
300
300
450

F3 = 400N

500

R = 800N
4

RESULTANT OF COPLANAR FORCES

CONCURRENT FORCE SYSTEM

SOLVED PROBLEMS

Solution :
{ Understanding : The meaning of question is we have to find a force F 4 such that
resultant of F1, F2, F3 and F4 is 800N at 500 to x axis as shown }
Since we don't know where force F4 lies let us assume it lies at an angle with x axis in first quadrant as shown below,
Now any resultant has two components

and
In this case, R = 800 N

= 800 sin50

= 800 cos 50 &

(1)
500sin

F2= 300N
500cos

300sin30

F 4 cos

300

300cos30

300
400sin45
400sin30

F4 sin

450

50

800cos50

r
400cos30
400cos45

R = 800N

800sin30

F3= 400N

Now,

= F4 cos 500 sin 30 300cos 30 +

00 cos 45

= F4 cos 227

= F4 cos 227 = 800 cos 50 (3) ( From 1)

Similarly,

= F4 sin 500 cos 30 + 300 sin 30 +

00 sin 45

= F4 sin 0.17
5

RESULTANT OF COPLANAR FORCES

CONCURRENT FORCE SYSTEM

SOLVED PROBLEMS

= F4 sin 0.17 = 800 sin 50(4)..(From 1)

from (3)
F4 cos 227 = 514.23
F4 cos = 741.23 N ()
& from (4)
F4 sin 0.17 = 612.83
F4 sin = 612.66
F4 sin = 612.66 N ()
Also
Solving i.e. Dividing above two highlighted equations,
tan =

39.58

. Answer

Substitute in (3)
Also F4 = 961.05 N
{ Understanding :
{ Resultant was already given hence we could easily get

and

as components of Resultant.
Now

is also combination of all forces in X direction and so is

.Hence

from above explanation we get eq (3) & (4)

Again note that 'WE' had assumed F 4 to be in first quadrant but the 'sine'
component of

F4 came out to be -ve. which means that y component of F4 is

directed towards -ve y axis.

RESULTANT OF COPLANAR FORCES

CONCURRENT FORCE SYSTEM

SOLVED PROBLEMS

Hence from directions of x and y components of F 4 we came to know that it is

fourth quardrant }