Moment of a Force

Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

• Describe moment of a force and compute the magnitude
of moment of a force about a line.
 Outline

MOMENT
F § Moment of a force
- Moment of a force about a point
- Moment of a force about a line
§ Moment of a couple
§ Equivalent force systems
Moment of a Force
About a Line
scalar vector
Moment of a Force About a Line
Scalar Method:
The rectangular components of the moment of a
force about the origin O are equal to the moments
of the force about the coordinate axes.
Mo  M xi  M y j  M zk

Mx is obtained by looking at the y-z plane

My is obtained by looking at the x-z plane
Mz is obtained by looking at the x-y plane
Moment of a Force About a Line
Vector Method:
The moment of F about a line AB is obtained from
the triple scalar product
M AB  r x F   AB
where r is a vector drawn from any point on the
moment axis AB to any point on the line of action
of force F and λ represents a unit vector directed
from A toward B.
Getting the triple scalar product…

M  r xF 
rx ry rz
M  Fx Fy Fz
x y z
The force F of magnitude 195kN acts along the line
AB. Determine the moment of F about the
coordinate axes. Verify the moments by finding the
moment of F about point O.
a)Determine the moment of F about the x axis.
Using the VECTOR approach, use M  r x F  

STEP 1a: Express force into vector notation

x y z d
AB 3 12 -4 13

FAB  F  AB 
 3î  12 ĵ  4k̂ 
FAB  195 kN  

 13 

FAB  45î  180 ĵ  60k̂ kN
STEP 1b: Find a position in vector from POINT on the
axis/line to the line of action of FORCE .

x y z
OA 0 0 4

rOA  4k̂ m  
STEP 1c: Find a unit vector along the direction of the
axis/line. In this case, it can be from O to R.

x y z d
OR 3 0 0 3

𝟑𝒊
𝝀𝑶𝑹 =
𝟑

OR  î
STEP 3: Get the triple scalar product M  r x F  

 
rOA  4k̂ m
FAB  45î  180 ĵ  60k̂  kN
OR  î
Mx  r x F   0 0 4 0 0
0 0 4 45 180  60 45 180
 45 180  60 1 0 0 1 0
1 0 0
That is,
M x  720 kN m (0+0+0)-(720+0+0) =-720
b)Determine the moment of F about the y axis.
Using the VECTOR approach, use M  r x F  

STEP 1a: Express force into vector notation

x y z d
AB 3 12 -4 13
FAB  F  AB 
 3î  12 ĵ  4k̂ 
FAB  195 kN  

 13 
 
FAB  45î  180 ĵ  60k̂ kN
STEP 1b: Find a position in vector from POINT on the
axis/line to the line of action of FORCE .

x y z
OA 0 0 4

rOA  4k̂ m  
STEP 1c: Find a unit vector along the direction of the
axis/line. In this case, it can be from O to G.

x y z d
OG 0 12 0 12

 12 ĵ 
OG   

 12 
OG  ĵ
STEP 3: Get the triple scalar product M  r x F  

 
rOA  4k̂ m
FAB  45î  180 ĵ  60k̂  kN
OG  ĵ
0 0 4 0 0
0 0 4 45 180  60 45 180
 45 180  60
0 1 0 0 1
0 1 0
That is,
M y  180 kN m (0+0+180)-(0+0+0) =180
c)Determine the moment of F about the z axis.
Using the VECTOR approach, use M  r x F  

STEP 1a: Express force into vector notation

x y z d
AB 3 12 -4 13
FAB  F  AB 
 3î  12 ĵ  4k̂ 
FAB  195 kN  

 13 
 
FAB  45î  180 ĵ  60k̂ kN
STEP 1b: Find a position in vector from POINT on the
axis/line to the line of action of FORCE .

x y z
OA 0 0 4

rOA  4k̂ m  
STEP 1c: Find a unit vector along the direction of the
axis/line. In this case, it can be from O to A.

x y z d
OA 0 0 4 4

 4k̂ 
OA   
 4 
OA  k̂
STEP 3: Get the triple scalar product M  r x F  

 
rOA  4k̂ m
FAB  45î  180 ĵ  60k̂  kN
OA  k̂
0 0 4 0 0
0 0 4 45 180  60 45 180
 45 180  60
0 0 1 0 0
0 0 1
That is,
Mz  0 (0+0+0)-(0+0+0) =0
moment of F wrt point O

M O  ( 720 î  180 ĵ ) kN  m

Mx My Mz=0
The force F of magnitude 195kN acts along the line
AB. Determine the moment of F about line CG.
c)Determine the moment of F about the line CG.
Using the VECTOR approach, use M  r x F  

STEP 1a: Express force into vector notation

x y z d
AB 3 12 -4 13
FAB  F  AB 
 3î  12 ĵ  4k̂ 
FAB  195 kN  

 13 
 
FAB  45î  180 ĵ  60k̂ kN
STEP 1b: Find a position in vector from POINT on the
axis/line to the line of action of FORCE .

x y z
CA -3 -12 0


 
rCA   3î  12 ĵ m
STEP 1c: Find a unit vector along the direction of the
axis/line. In this case, it can be from C to G.

x y z d
CG -3 0 -4 5

  3î  4k̂ 
CG   

 5 

CG  0.6î  0.8k̂

 STEP 3: Get the triple scalar product M  r x F  


rCA   3î  12 ĵ m 

FAB  45î  180 ĵ  60k̂ kN 
CG  0.6î  0.8k̂

M CG  r x F   3  12 0 3  12
3  12 0 45 180  60 45 180
 45 180  60  0 .6 0  0 .8  0 . 6 0
 0 .6 0  0 .8
That is,
M CG  432 kN m (432-432+0)-(0+0+432) =-432
REFERENCES
Beer, Ferdinand P. and E. Russel Johnston Jr. (2007). Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statistics 8e.
New York: The McGraw-Hill Co.
Estanero, Roemo A. (editor) (2008). Principles of Engineering Mechanics 1 (Statics) 1e. Manila, C&E
Publishing Inc.
Fowles, Grant R. and George L. Cassiday. (1999). Analytical Mechanics 6e. New York: Harcourt College
Publishers
Hibbeler, R.C. (2006). Principles of Statistics and Dynamics 10e. New York: Prentice-Hall.
Meriam, Engineering Mechanics: Statics, 9th Edition.
Pytel, A. and Kiusalaas, J. (2010). Engineering Mechanics: Statics, Third Edition, SI. Cengage Learning
Stamford, CT, USA
Roberts, Adrian P. (2003). Statics and Dynamics with Background Mathematics (ebook). New York:
Cambridge University Press
End of Lecture