LAB EXPERIMENT 05

Student Name: _____________________________________

ID No. ____________________

Signature of the lab tutor: ________________________

Date: _____________________

To Determine the Co-efficient of Static Friction of a Fabric on a

Horizontal Stainless Steel Plane
Performance Objective
Upon successful completion of this experiment the student will be able to:
i)
ii)
iii)

Understand what is friction and its behavior.

Measure co-efficient of friction on a horizontal plane.
Have clear concept of the static friction between two contacting surfaces.

Apparatus
Horizontal Stainless Steel Surface with a frictionless pulley, Wooden Block, Piece of string,
Fabric to be tested, Weighing Pan and Weight Box.

Discussion / Theory
The friction is the force that opposes the motion or tendency of motion of an object when the
object is an contact with another object or surface. Friction is essential for various holding
and fastening devices as well as for friction drives and brakes and even for supplying the
traction for walking or driving automobiles. It has some disadvantages also; it causes lose of
power and / or wear.

Mujahid Mehdi

Page 1

The magnitude of the frictional force F is directly proportional to the magnitude of the
resultant normal force N. The resultant normal force is a contacting force because of which
to surface are in contact. When the contact of two surface is horizontal, the magnitude of the
normal force is equal to the weight of upper body. Fig 5.1 illustrates the contact of two
surface horizontally.
F~N
Or

F=N

Where = Co-efficient of friction

The co-efficient of static friction between two stationary surfaces is defined as the ratio of
limiting frictional force of resistance opposing their relative motion to the force, measured
perpendicular to the common point or plane of contact, pressing the two together:
=F/N

Procedure / Method
1. Cover the wooden block with the fabric on be tested in such a way that the surface of
fabric must be free from crease and weigh it. The magnitude of its weight is equal to
the magnitude of normal force N.
2. Place the wooden block on the horizontal stainless steel surface attach the string on
one side of wooden block, pass it over pulley and attach a weighing pan on the other end
of the other end of the string as show in Fig.5.2.
3. Now place some weight on the weighing pan.
4. After placing some weight check friction of fabric surface on the horizontal stainless
steel surface by taping.
5. If wooden block moves by taping then note the magnitude of force exerted by total
weight of weighing pan ( i.e. the magnitude of limiting frictional force F) and the
magnitude of resultant normal force N ( i.e the magnitude of total weight exerted on
stainless steel surface by wooden block).
6. Calculate the co-efficient of static friction by using equation 5.1.
7. Repeat above procedure five times by increasing the weight of wooden block.
8. Calculate the average co-efficient of static friction.

Mujahid Mehdi

Page 2

Calculation
Co-efficient of static friction = = F / N
Average =/n, where n is number of observations

Test Report / Result

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Fabric Specifications
Resultant Normal Force.
Frictional Force.
Co-efficient of static friction.
Average Co-efficient of friction.

Fabric Specification
i) Material (Fiber)
ii) Construction
iii) Condition (Grey / Treated / Dyed / Printed / Finished)
If finished, specify type of finish.
Observation No.

Normal Force = N
(Newtons)

Frictional Force = F
(Newtons)

Co-efficient of static friction =

F/N

1
2
3
4
5
Average

TEST RESULT / OBSERVATIONS:

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Mujahid Mehdi

Page 3

Review Questions
1. What do understand by static friction and kinetic friction?
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2. What is the influence of Physical properties of contacting on co-efficient of friction?
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3. What is the effect of fabric construction and material on its co-efficient of friction?
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4. Why taping is done to initiate motion of the block when pulley is used
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Final Checklist
1. Clean your apparatus and workbench before you leave.
2. Keep the apparatus back to their proper places.
3. Submit your answers to questions and results before the next laboratory experiment
according to the time table.

Mujahid Mehdi

Page 4