Force

A. FORCES AND STATICS
Force
Concurrent Forces
Colinear Forces

Unit Gizmos
Resolution of Forces
Cantilever
Simple Truss
Bridge Tower

B. SECTION PROPERTIES
Section Properties

C. TRUSS ANALYSIS
Truss Analysis

D. BEAM ANALYSIS
Beam Analysis

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The simplest way to define a force is by just thinking of pull or push. More generally, force is defined as an action that tends to disturb a body. This disturbance can be thought of as translation, rise, fall, rotation, spinning, and so forth.

Consider a block resting on a table. Connect a cable to the block and start pulling the block. If the right amount of force is applied, the block will start to move. The amount of movement obviously depends on the amount and duration of the applied force. The force can be applied directly to a body, such as pulling a car using a towrope, or indirectly, such as gravitational force. Gravitational force is the force the earth exerts on objects that pulls them toward its center. This force is known as the weight of the object and can be obtained by using a weighing scale.