TABLE OF CONTENTS The solution of many of the problems concerned with ship stability involves an understanding of the resolution of forces and moments. For this reason a brief examination of the basic principles will be advisable.
A force can be defined as any push or pull exerted on a body. The S.I. unit of force is the Newton, one Newton being the force required to produce in a mass of one kilogram an acceleration of one metre per second. When considering a force the following points regarding the force must be known:
The magnitude of the force.
The direction in which the force is applied.
The point at which the force is applied.
The resultant force. When two or more forces are acting at a point, their combined effect can be represented by one force which will have the same effect as the component forces. Such a force is referred to as the resultant force , and the process of finding it is called the resolution of the component forces .
The resolution of forces. When resolving forces it will be appreciated that a force acting towards a point will have the same effect as an equal force acting away from the point, so long as both forces act in the same direction and in the same straight line. Thus a force of 10 Newtons (N) pushing to the right on a certain point can be substituted for a force of 10 Newtons (N) pulling to the...
