Plotting Free Body Diagram for Scalar Triple Product in MATLAB

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on calculating the scalar triple product to determine the moment of a force vector about a specified line using MATLAB. Users are prompted to input force and position vectors, as well as a unit vector for the line's direction, with a check to ensure the vector is a unit vector. The main code attempts to compute the moment using the dot and cross product functions. Additionally, participants express uncertainty about how to plot the Free Body Diagram after calculating the moment. The conversation highlights the need for proper coding and graph formatting in MATLAB to visualize the results effectively.
raviyank
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Homework Statement


[/B]
The scalar triple product computes the magnitude of the moment of a force vector about a specified line. It is M = ( r×F ) ⋅n , where is the position vector from the line to the point of application of the force and is a unit vector in the direction of the line. Prompt a user to enter (Fx,Fy ,Fz ), (rx, ry,rz ), and (nx,ny ,nz ); make sure, that is a unit vector and recalculate if necessary; then compute the magnitude for the case and plot the Free Body Diagram. The graph must be formatted and labelled by coding.

Homework Equations


[/B]= M = ( r×F ) ⋅n

The Attempt at a Solution


[/B]
i tried dot(n,cross(r,F)) for the main code but don't know how to plot free body diagram.
 
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Plot the free body diagram of what?

raviyank said:
dot(n,cross(r,F))
This should work. You could also consider
Matlab:
det([r,F,n])
assuming that r, F, and N are column matrices.
 
Moderator's note: two threads were merged, since they deal with the same question.

1. Homework Statement


The scalar triple product computes the magnitude of the moment of a force vector about a specified line. It is M = ( r× F) ⋅n , where is the position vector from the line to the point of application of the force and is a unit vector in the direction of the line. MATLAB: Prompt a user to enter (Fx,Fy ,Fz ), (rx, ry, rz), and (nx,ny ,nz ); make sure, that is a unit vector and recalculate if necessary; then compute the magnitude for the case and plot the Free Body Diagram. The graph must be formatted and labelled by coding.

2. Homework Equations

M = ( r× F) ⋅n

The Attempt at a Solution


clear;
sprinf('\nCalculating the Magnitude of M\n')
r = input ('\n Enter position vector r ');
F = input ('\n Enter Force vector F ');
While l
n = input ('\n Enter direction of the line "n" unit vector ');
N = 0;
for i = 1:1:3
N = N+n(i)^2;
end
N = round (sqrt(N),3);
if N ==1
break
end
sprintf ('\ n Error.n is not a unit vector.\n')
end

M = dot(cross(r,F),n)
M = [ M 0 0 ];Is this correct code? And I don't know how to plot free body diagram of this code..
 
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