Experiment 5: Friction

Jonathan De Guzman, Kiara De Leon, Kimberly dela Fuente, Reyza Kathleen Dimaculangan
Group #3
Department of Chemistry
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila

ABSTRACT
Friction is the force that resists relative
motion between two bodies in contact. In this
experiment, they associated friction with the
area of contact, normal force and the nature of
surfaces. The air resistance and the outcome of
the lubricant were also tackled.
INTRODUCTION
Friction refers to resistance to motion
whenever two materials or media in contact tend
to move
[1]
. In everyday life, friction is
everywhere. When we walk on the floor, which
is already friction in everyday of our lives. In
this experiment, it is tasked to do some activities
and observe friction on it. There are some rules
that govern friction:

1. Static friction is greater than kinetic
friction
[1]
.
2. Friction acts parallel to the surfaces in
contact and in a direction so as to
oppose motion
[1]
.
3. Friction is independent of the area of
contact and speed sliding
[1]
.
4. Friction is proportional to normal force
[1]
.
5. Friction depends on the nature of
surfaces in contact and condition of
surfaces whether the surfaces are rough,
smooth, polished or wet
[1]
.
These are some rules that govern the rules in
frictional force. The objectives of this
experiment are to verify the laws of friction and
to observe the effects of air resistance on falling
coffee filters (but in this case we use papers that
are boat-shaped squares).
METHODOLOGY
In Activity 1, a wooden block was
placed on top of a wood board and a spring scale
was connected to the wood by a hook. The
maximum static force and kinetic force was
determined. The procedure was repeated using
the other sides of the block. In Activity 2, the
wood block was weighed and 100g was added
on the block. This served as the normal force.
The maximum static and kinetic forces were
determined. Three more trials were made by
adding 100g in each trial. The coefficients of
static and kinetic friction were calculated. In the
third activity, different natures of surfaces were
made in contact with the wood block. Wood,
plastic cover, cartolina, and sand paper were
used and the maximum static friction and kinetic
friction were determined. In Activity 4, rubbing
of hands with and without lubricant were done.
Then, it was determined if rubbing hands with
lubricant is warmer than rubbing hands without
lubricant. In the last activity, a motion detector
was used. A paper was released 1.0m above the
motion detector. From the graph of position
versus time, the terminal velocity was
determined from the slope of the graph. This
procedure was repeated with increasing number
of papers. The square of terminal velocity versus
mass of filters was also determined.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Activity 1: Friction and Area of Contact

Activity 2: Friction and Normal Force
Normal
Force
f
smax
f
K

S

K
342 0.120 0.100 0.35 0.29
442 0.150 0.100 0.34 0.23
542 0.200 0.120 0.37 0.22
742 0.280 0.180 0.38 0.24

Activity 3: Friction and Nature of Surfaces in
Contact

Activity 4: Effect of Lubricant
1.When the hands was rubbed together for a
minute. Then when the hands put on the cheeks,
it feels warmer.
2.When the hands was rubbed with lotion, the
feeling is not that warm compare to the hands
that rubbed together without lotion.
Activity 5: Experiment 13 Air Resistance
(Physics with Computers)



Area f
smax
f
K

1 0.100 0.80
2 0.100 0.80
3 0.080 0.80
Surface in
Contact
f
smax
f
K

Wood and wood 0.80 0.60
Wood and
aluminum foil

Wood and sand
paper
0.10 0.80
Wood and
plastic cover
0.84 0.80
Wood and
cartolina
0.10 0.90




Number of
Filters
Terminal
Velocity
Square of
Terminal
Velocity
1 -0.647 m/s 0.4186 m/s
2
2 -1.370 m/s 1.8769 m/s
2

3 -1.520 m/s 2.3104 m/s
2

4 -1.558 m/s 2.4274 m/s
2

5 -1.964 m/s 3.8573 m/s
2


The experiment is all about FRICTION.
Friction is the force that resist in motion. When
the object was pulled the minimum forces that
apply to the object before it moves is called the
static friction (f
smax
). And when the object
started to move there will be a decrease of forces
but as the object was moving it has to be in a
constant velocity the force that applies to it is
called kinetic friction. The surface in contact of
the two objects also affects the friction because
it is the electrostatic force in between. The
smoother object like sand paper and cartolina in
wood may have a larger static friction that wood
to wood and wood to plastic cover. In the second
activity, as the normal force increasing the
weight of the object is also increasing. The
coefficient of friction is the ratio of force friction
and normal forces. It was observed in the
experiment that as the normal force in increasing
the coefficient of static friction is also increasing
but in kinetic friction it is decreasing. The
formulas used to measure the coefficient of
friction are:

s
=

()

K
=

where:

s
-coefficient of static force

K
-coefficient of kinetic force

f
s
- static friction
f
K
- kinetic friction
F
N
- Normal force
F
N
- Normal force
In the last activity the relationship between the
terminal velocity and mass of filters is that as the
terminal velocity decreases the number of filters
also increases.

THEORY
Friction is the force between atoms and
molecules that resists the relative motion if one
solid slides over another. The resistance depends
on the nature of surfaces of the solids in contact.
The two regimes of friction are static and
kinetic. Static friction is the maximum force
needed to start the motion, while the kinetic
friction is the force needed to move the object
with a constant velocity. The static friction is
always greater than the kinetic friction. In fluid
resistance, if a lubricant was placed, the friction
between forces would be reduced and the ease of
the movement would be greater. In the last
activity, air resistance is the force that slows
down the movement of an object through the air.
The faster the object is falling through the air,
the greater the friction forces and air resistance.
The terminal velocity is the velocity as a result
of balanced forces.
Determination of Static Friction Coefficient:

S
=



Determination of Kinetic Friction Coefficient:

K
=



CONCLUSION
In the results gathered and further
analysis, it is discovered that the laws of friction
were observed in such a way it follows the
following rules that are mentioned. Like just the
first rule, as we pull the spring balance, the static
force has a greater force than the kinetic force.
Similarly to rule number five, in activity 4, the
lubricant (the medium that was used) was a
lotion. In here the friction is dependent on the
medium that inert the force whether it produced
a fast or slow motion. In the second objectives,
as the results were gathered it shows that the
more coffee filter (but in this case we use paper)
that were
APPLICATION
1. Which will require a greater force: to
start the motion of a heavy box or to
keep the box moving with constant
speed?
To start the motion of a heavy box
requires a greater force. Starting force is
greater as it has to overcome both
friction and the inertia of the box. Once
it is moving at constant speed, inertia
tries to keep it moving so only friction
needs to be overcome to prevent it
slowing down.

2. Why is it difficult to walk with new
leather soles?
It is difficult to walk with new leather
shoes because the surface of soles is still
smooth compared to those that are used
already, thus reducing the amount of
friction present.

3. How can an adjustable inclined plane be
used to measure the coefficient of static
friction and coefficient of kinetic
friction?
In this case the tangent of the angle at
which a block slides down on an incline
at constant velocity gives the coefficient
of kinetic friction between the bottom of
the block and the top of the
incline. [
k
= tan
k
]. First, it is easy to
prove that when the sides of two angles
are perpendicular to each other, the two
angles are equal. In each of the right
triangles the sum of angles must be
180. Each has a 90-angle. Also,
Angles 1 and 2 are opposite and
therefore equal. Their third angles must
therefore be equal. If one is , the other
has to be equal to as well. Note that if
weight (W) is the only force acting on
the block causing a normal force to be
developed, on an incline, N < W, but on
a horizontal surface N = W. W can be
replaced with (F

= W cos ) and (F
||
=
W sin ). Also, note that for
equilibrium, we must
have N = F

or N = W cos . At a
certain angle of inclination,
k
, at which
the block slides down at constant
velocity, F
k
and F
||
become equal: F
k
=
F
||
, or F
k =
W sin
k
. Since, by
definition
k
= F
k
/ N, we may write:

k
= ( F
k
/ N ) = (W sin
k
) / (W
cos
k
), (verify) or
k
= tan
k


4. The coefficient of static friction and
coefficient of kinetic friction between a
refrigerator and the floor are 0.45 and
0.38 respectively. The refrigerator
weighs 1000 N. Find the horizontal
force needed to

a.) Start the motion of the refrigerator
b.) To keep the refrigerator moving at
constant speed once it started
moving
If a horizontal force of 400N is applied,
what will happen to the refrigerator? In
this situation, what is the value of
friction?
a.

x f
N
= fsmax


0.45 x 1000 = 450 N

b.

x f
N
= fk

0.38 1000 = 380 N
The refrigerator will not move if a
horizontal force of 400N is applied because the
weight of the refrigerator is greater than the
applied force. The value of static friction would
be 450N because the refrigerator is still at rest.
5. Explain the usefulness of a parachute for
safe landing.
Air resistance increases greatly when the
parachute is opened and that result in the
deceleration of the skydiver; As a result,
the skydiver will reach a speed
appropriate for landing safely. The
canopy (parachute) has multiple cells.
The nose (front) of the canopy is open
but the back is closed which pressurizes
the canopy during forward flight and
thus maintains the aerodynamic shape of
the canopy which generates lift. The
slider, a square shaped fabric with four
round gommits in the corners separates
the lines, the lines from the nose to the
front and those from the steering brake
line to the rear. The slider slows the
opening down so that the deceleration is
controlled. The canopy is controlled by
pulling on the toggles, the left toggle for
a left turn and visa versa. A final turn is
made relatively close to the ground so
that the landing is into wind, thus
reducing the ground speed and just prior
to landing, the skydiver pulls down on
both toggles to induce a flare which
slows and stalls the canopy for a
generally soft stand up landing.
REFERENCES
[1]http://www.pstcc.edu/departments/natural_be
havioral_sciences/Web%20Physics/Experiment
%2005.htm
[2]http://www.answers.com/Q/How_does_a_par
achute_help_a_skydiver_make_a_safe_landing
[3]http://web.mechse.illinois.edu/research/micro
tribodynamics/tribology_intro/intro/friction.htm
[4]Silverio, Angelina A., Exploring Life through
Science: Physics, 2
nd
Edition, Phoenix
Publishing House, Inc.; 927 Quezon Avenue,
Quezon City; 2013