PHYS 211 (LAB) EXPERIMENT #4 THE COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION

Members: Steven Chingu (Present) Eujin Lim ( Present ) Chan Yean Jen ( Present )

Objective : To understand the relationship of the static and kinetic friction between a wooden block and a wooden plane. Theory :

Static Friction
Static frictional forces from the interlocking of the irregularities of two surfaces will increase to prevent any relative motion up until some limit where motion occurs. It is that threshold of motion which is characterized by the coefficient of static friction. The coefficient of static friction is typically larger than the coefficient of kinetic friction.

In making a distinction between static and kinetic coefficients of friction, we are dealing with an aspect of "real world" common experience with a phenomenon which cannot be simply characterized. The difference between static and kinetic coefficients obtained in simple experiments like wooden blocks

sliding on wooden inclines roughly follows the model depicted in the friction plot from which the illustration above is taken. This difference may arise from irregularities, surface contaminants, etc. which defy precise description. When such experiments are carried out with smooth metal blocks which are carefully cleaned, the difference between static and kinetic coefficients tends to disappear. When coefficients of friction are quoted for specific surface combinations are quoted, it is the kinetic coefficient which is generally quoted since it is the more reliable number.

Kinetic Friction
When two surfaces are moving with respect to one another, the frictional resistance is almost constant over a wide range of low speeds, and in the standard model of friction the frictional force is described by the relationship below. The coefficient is typically less than the coefficient of static friction, reflecting the common experience that it is easier to keep something in motion across a horizontal surface than to start it in motion from rest.

Equipment / Apparatus 1) Inclined Plane 2) Wooden Block 3) Electronic Balance 4) Weight Hanger 5) Masses 6) Protractor
Procedure 1. The mass of the wooden block is measured with the Dial-o-gram balance and the weight is calculated in newtons. 2. With the plane in horizontal position, 500 grams is placed on the block and the block is pulled across the plane at a constant speed with the force probe. 3. Determined the mean force. 4. Step 4 and 5 is repeated, 500 grams is added each time until a total of 3000 grams is added to the block. 5. Graph the static frictional force vs. the normal force and kinetic frictional force vs. the normal force. Part 1 ( 0 degree ) Mass (g) 343 443 543 643 743 (kg) 0.343 0.443 0.543 0.643 0.743 Normal Force,N 1.962 2.943 3.924 4.905 5.886 Fs 0.6867 1.1172 1.7658 2.3544 2.9430 Fk 0.4905 0.6867 0.9320 1.3244 1.6187 0.35 0.38 0.45 0.48 0.50 0.25 0.23 0.2375 0.27 00.275

Part 2 ( 30 degree ) Mass (g) (kg) Normal Force, N Fs Fk

243

0.243

0.866

2.5997

2.2593

3.001

2.608

Part 3 ( 45 degree ) Mass Normal Force, N 1.387 Fs 3.3844 Fk 2.9921 2.440 2.157

(g) 243

(kg) 0.243

1. Discussion Kinetic friction forces are the forces that sliding surfaces exert on each other parellel to their surfaces. Kinetic friction forces are cumulative effects of the forces between all the microscopic contact points of the sliding surfaces. As a result, friction forces vary with the types of surfaces in contact, the state of each surface ( smoothness, surface dirt or impurities, etc. ). And the pressure of one surface against the other. Even for the same surfaces tested under similar conditions, the friction will not be exactly reproducible from one trial to the next. The coefficient of kinetic friction ( is defined as the ratio of the kinetic friction force to the normal force ( the perpendicular force of each surface on the other. ) Because doubling the normal force usually force usually doubles the friction force, the coefficient ( remains the same. Even though friction forces vary from run to run, for any pair of surfaces they usually dont very very much, so similar values of can be expected from different trials. For most pairs of surfaces, it is found that is approximately independent of normal force, contact area, and speed. In this experiment these properties of kinetic friction will be tested on incline plane. Q&A

Did the coefficient of static friction change with the different normal forces? 2. Did the coefficient of kinetic friction change with the different normal forces? 3. What is the relation between the coefficients s and k? Do they have the same values? 4. Do the coefficients depend on the speed with which you pull? Should it? 5. Do the coefficients depend on the mass that you pull? Should it? 6. Do the coefficients depend on the size of the area of friction? Explain clearly. You can test this question while in the lab: perform a quick experiment with the material provided. Think about it. 7. Do the coefficients depend on the type of the surface? Explain clearly. You can test this question while in the lab: perform a quick experiment using a different surface. Think about it.

Conclusion
As the results show, static friction is generally significantly larger than kinetic friction. Also, in general, the surfaces that included Duck Tape had higher coefficients of friction than those that had felt. Sandpaper overall was the biggest contributor, yielding the highest coefficients of all the surfaces done by different groups in the experiment. The major source of error in the experiment was probably the sensitivity of the force detector. In order to obtain any kind of useful measurement, the experimenter has to pull in an excruciatingly slow motion. It is very possible that inaccuracies could have resulted from the person failing to pull the block at a constant rate or horizontal angle.

A possible way that researchers can build on the experiment in the future would be to run trials on much more significantly jagged surfaces, and see the rate at which the coefficient of friction changes as the surface becomes more uneven.