Lesson 1 of 3
Forces and Vectors
Understand what a force is and how to represent it as a vector.
What is a force?
A force is a push or pull that can cause an object to accelerate, deform, or change direction. Forces are vectors - they have both magnitude and direction.
Representing forces
We typically represent a force with:
- A magnitude (e.g. 100 N)
- A direction (e.g. 30° above horizontal)
Resolving into components
Any 2D force can be broken into horizontal and vertical components:
Fx = F · cos(θ)
Fy = F · sin(θ)
This is the single most useful skill in statics. Once forces are in component form, you can add them algebraically.
Practice
Try resolving a 200 N force acting at 45°:
Fx = 200 · cos(45°) ≈ 141.4 N
Fy = 200 · sin(45°) ≈ 141.4 N
Next up: combining forces and finding resultants.