ENGR 0135

Chapter 5 -1
Moments

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Engineering

Concept of moment
Introduction

to moment
Moment about a point
Moment about a line
Couples
Some examples

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Characteristics of a moment

O = moment center
d = moment arm (perpendicular to the line of
action of P)
A-A = axis of the moment
A-A is perpendicular to the plane made by the
force and the distance vectors
Mo = moment at O
Mo = |Mo| = |P|d

(scalar representation,
tells the magnitude)

Arrow of the moment indicates the sense

(based on convention)
Counterclockwise Positive
Clockwise Negative

P
A
Mo

Or use right-hand rule; the thumb tells the

direction of the moment

O
d

Moment has magnitude and direction so

moment is a vector

P
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Moment

Principle of Moment
Varignons Theorem

If R = A + B, then Mo(R) = Mo(A) + Mo(B)

Mo(R)= Moment at O due to force R
Mo(A)= Moment at O due to force A
Mo(B)= Moment at O due to force B

The theorem can be used to either

decompose or combine moments
produced by forces

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Example finding the magnitude of moment

a)
b)
c)
d)

The moment of force F3 about point C

The moment of force F2 about point B
The moment of force F1 about point B
The moment of force F3 about point E

M C = F3 LBC = 400 15 = 6000lb.in

M B = F2 LBC = 300 15 sin 53.13o = 3600lb.in

15

15 sin 53.13o

M B = F1 LDB

LDB

= 250 (15 5 sin 53.130o ) = 750lb.in

M E = F3 LEB
= 400 (10 15 cos 53.130o )
= 400lb.in

53.13o
LEB
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Example
F = 300 N
30o

MB = ?

250 mm
B
x

150 mm

200 mm
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Apply Varignons theorem:

Break up the Force into its XYZ components and
take the moments from each component

Fy = F sin 30o
Fx = F cos 30o

MB = - Fx 0.250 Fy 0.2 = -95.0 N.m

250 mm

= 95.0 N.m counterclockwise

B
A

x
MA = ?

150 mm

200 mm
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Vector representation of a moment

Useful for 3D cases, especially when d is not easy to measure

r = position vector of A
A = any point in the line of action of P
Parallel to the line of action

O
Line of action of force P

~
~
~
Mo = r P
~
~
~
M o = (| r || F | sin ) e

P
A

magnitudes
Note that d = r sin

e= A unit vector
describing the moment
Perpendicular to the
plane of the moment
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Position vector
Any

point along the line of action is a valid

point to get the r

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The direction of vector s

~
~
~
Mo = r F

The curling direction of the

fingers other than the thumb.
The thumb points in the
direction of positive M.
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Cross Product of unit vectors - review

~ ~
i i =0
~ ~ ~
i j =k
~ ~
~
i k = j

~
~ ~
j i = k
~ ~
j j =0
~ ~ ~
j k = i

~ ~ ~
k i = j
~ ~
~
k j = i
~ ~
k k = 0

Must be memorized !!!

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Cartesian representation of Moment

the cartesian components of a vector
applied to vector position and force
~
~
~
~
r =r i +r j +r k

Recall:

~
~
~
~
F = Fx i + Fy j + Fz k
The cross product can be written as determinant of a matrix containing the unit
vectors, and the components of r and F. Extra-point take-home quiz: Show it.

~
i

~
~
r F = rx
Fx

~
j
ry
Fy

~
k
rz
Fz

Definition of the determinant

a
e

b
f

c
g = afj + bgh + cei cfh agi bej

j
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~
i
~
~
~
M o = r F = rx
Fx

~
j
ry
Fy

~
k
rz
Fz

Mo = The moment Mo about the origin of coordinates O produced by a force F

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Two ways of representing the moment vector:

1. Using i, j, and k unit vectors = Cartesian vector form

~
~
~
~
r = rx i + ry j + rz k
~
~
~
~
F = Fx i + Fy j + Fz k
~ ~ ~
i
j k
~
~
~
~
~
M o = r F = rx ry rz = M ox i + M oy j + M oz k
Fx Fy Fz
~
~
~
= (ry Fz rz Fy ) i + (rz Fx rx Fz ) j + (rx Fy ry Fx )k
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2. Using direction cosines = using a unit vector

~
~
M o = r F = M o e~
~
~
~
~
e = cos x i + cos y j + cos z k
M ox
cos x = ~
Mo

M oy
cos y = ~
Mo

M oz
cos z = ~
Mo

The scalar components of the moment

M o x = (ry Fz rz Fy )
M oy = (rz Fx rx Fz )
M oz = (rx Fy ry Fx )

~
2
2
2
M o = M o = M o = M ox + M oy + M oz
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Moment analysis

Scalar Analysis
Get the Cartesian components of the forces
Get the distances for all of the force(s) components relative to the
point of interest
Multiply each pair of the force and distance (scalar multiplication)
and determine the direction of each moment using right-hand rule
Sum up the moments according to their direction

Vector Analysis
Get the vector position of the point about which the moment is
calculated relative to any point in the line of application
Perform cross product of the force and position vectors

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Problem 1
y

C
10 ft

The 15-ft boom AB has a fixed

end A. A steel cable is stretched
from the free end B of the boom
to a point C located on the
vertical wall. If the tension in the
cable is 570 lb, determine the
moment about A of the force
exerted by the cable at B.

6 ft

A
z
15 ft

B
x

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Problem 1

C
10 ft

A
z
15 ft

6 ft Solving Problems on Your Own

The 15-ft boom AB has a fixed
end A. A steel cable is stretched
from the free end B of the boom
to a point C located on the
vertical wall. If the tension in the
cable is 570 lb, determine the
B
moment about A of the force
x exerted by the cable at B.

1. Determine the rectangular components of a force defined by

its magnitude and direction. If the direction of the force is
defined by two points located on its line of action, the force can
be expressed by:

F
F=
(d i + dy j + dz k)
d x

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C
10 ft

6 ft

A
z
15 ft

B
x

2. Compute the moment of a force in three dimensions. If r is a

position vector and F is the force the moment M is given by:

M=rxF
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Problem 1 Solution

C
10 ft

6 ft
3. Determine the rectangular
570 N components of a force defined
by its magnitude and direction.

A
z
15 ft

First note:
x

Then:

TBC =

dBC =

(_15)2 + (6) 2 + (_10) 2

dBC = 19 ft

570 lb _
( 15 i + 6 j _ 10 k) = _ (450 lb) i + (180 lb) j _ (300 lb)k
19
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Problem 1 Solution

C
10 ft

6 ft

A
570 N

Compute the moment of a

force in three dimensions.
Have:

z
15 ft

MA = rB/A x TBC

B
x

Where:

rB/A = (15 ft) i

Then:

MA = 15 i x (_ 450 i + 180 j _ 300 k)

MA = (4500 lb.ft) j + (2700 lb.ft) k
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Moment of a force about a line

Basically, it means the rectangular vector component of a moment
(about a point that is passed by the line) that acts along the line.
B
F
e
r
O

Mo = r x F
MOB = [(r x F) . e] e

Moment about point O

Moment about line OB

e is the unit vector along OB

O is any point on the line OB

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Couples
Two

equal, noncollinear, parallel of

opposite sense
The sum of these forces = zero
Tends only to rotate a body
a couple = a moment
sum of the moments of the pair of forces
that comprise the couple
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Characteristic 1
The

magnitude of the moment of a couple about a

point in the plane of a couple is equal to the forces
multiplied by the perpendicular distance between the
forces
F

Mo

= F. b + F. a
= F. (a + b)
= F. d

d
b
a

The distances a and b are

missing from the equation.
O can be anywhere as long as
on the plane of the couple
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Characteristic 2
Moment

of a couple does not depend on the

location of the moment center O
M O = rA F2 + rB F1

F1

but
rA/B

rA

so

F1 = - F2 = (say) F

M O = (rA rB ) F
= rA / B F

rB
F2

= rA / B F sin e

A couple is a Free Vector

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Transformation of a couple
A

couple can be rotated in its plane

A couple can be translated to a parallel
position in its plane or to any parallel plane
The magnitude of the forces and the
distance between them can be changed
provided that the magnitude of the couple is
maintained

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Characteristics determining the

external effect of a couple
Magnitude

of the moment of the couple

Sense (rotation) of the couple
Aspect of the plane of the couple (the slope
or direction of the plane of the couple)
A

couple can be represented as a vector

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Couples ~ Vector characteristics

Couples

can be summed up (vectorially) to yield

a resultant couple
A couple can be decomposed into its scalar
cartesian components
Scalar components of the same directions can be
combined to produce a couple vector in that
direction
Direction cosines can be computed in a similar
method as for the forces and moments
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Examples
The

magnitude of the force

F in is 595 N.
Determine the scalar
component of the moment at
point O about line OC.

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Example

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