The Resultant of Two Forces

Related Pages
Physics: Force
Resultant Forces
Vector Addition

The Resultant of Two Forces
When vectors represent forces, their sum is called the resultant. The resultant of two forces can be found using the methods for adding vectors when the vectors are a geometric representation. When using methods for the algebraic representation to find the resultant of two forces, it can be helpful to understand the components of a force.

The following diagram shows the resultant of two forces. Scroll down the page for more examples and solutions on how to obtain the resultant of two forces using vectors.

Resultant of two forces at right angles
How to calculate the resultant force from two forces acting at right angles to each other?

Example:
Two forces 300 N at 0 degrees and 400 N at 90 degrees pull on an object.
Answer the following (Use the tail-tip method):

a.Draw a diagram showing the forces acting on the object.
b.Draw a sketch showing the vector sum of two forces.
c.Find the magnitude of the resultant force.
d.Find the direction of the resultant force.

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Resultant of two forces not at right angles
How to calculate the resultant from two forces that are not at right angles to each other, using the cosine and sine rules of triangles.

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