EXPERIMENT-2

AIM:
To determine the co-efficient of static of friction between two given material surface
with the help of an incline plane.

APPARATUS:
An adjustable incline plane with frictionless pulley, a wooden box, inextensible
string, hanger with pan, standard weights.

THEORY:
Coefficient of friction is a value that shows the relationship between the force
of friction between two objects and the normal force between the objects. It is a
value that is sometimes used in physics to find an object's normal force or frictional
force when other methods aren't available.
The coefficient of friction is shown by
force, is the coefficient of friction, and
can be two different things. It can be

. In that equation,
is the normal force.
, or it can be

is the frictional

is the coefficient

of static friction. The coefficient of static friction is the friction force between two
objects when neither of the objects is moving.
is the coefficient of kinetic
friction. The coefficient of kinetic friction is the force between two objects when
one object is moving, or if two objects are moving against each other.
The coefficient of friction is dimensionless, meaning it does not have any units. It is
a scalar, meaning the direction of the force does not change its magnitude.
The coefficient of friction depends on the objects that are causing friction. The value
is usually between 0 and 1 but can be greater than 1. A value of 0 means there is
no friction at all between the objects. This is only theoretically possible. All objects
in the real world will have some friction when they touch each other. A value of 1
means the frictional force is equal to the normal force. Some people think that the
coefficient of friction can never be more than 1, but this is not true. A coefficient of
friction that is more than one just means that friction is stronger than the normal
force. An object such as silicone rubber, for example, can have a coefficient of

friction much greater than one. The coefficient of friction can also be changed by
the mass and speed of the moving object.

The mating surface of the book and the inclined are faced with sheets of material
between which the co-efficient of friction is desired. At fixed angle of inclination O,
the suspended mass is increased until the block is at the verge of upward slippage
i.e. in the state of impending motion. Referring to the free body diagram of the
block at such a state as shown in equilibrium.
T= Mg =f+ mgSin
R =mgSin

-(I)
-(II)

Where = f/r=(Mg-mgSin ) /mgCos

Or =(M-mSin ) / mCos

DETERMINATION OF CO-EFFICIENT OF STATIC FRICTION

FREE BODY DIAGRAM

PROCEDURE:

Set the angle of inclination of plane.

Put the box on inclined plane and pass the attached thread over the
pulley.

Put some weight in the pan and check the weight to have the motion of
the box.

For the second reading on the same angle put some weight in the box and
repeat the procedure (iii) for motion.

Take at least three to four readings at one inclination.

Change the inclination repeat the above procedure.

OBSERVATION TABLE :

S.NO.

m
including
Block wt
84gm

M
including
Pan wt 24
gm

MATERIAL 1
GLASS
1
2

20
20

84
104

1
2

MATERIAL 2
(METAL SHEET)
20
20
MATERIAL -3
(WOOD
SURFACE)
20
20

S.NO.

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

MATEIAL 1
GLASS
30
30
MATERIAL-2
(METAL SHEET)
30
30
MATERIAL-3
(WOOD
SURFACE)
30
30

Sin

Cos

0.342

0.939

58
73

0.371
0.383
0.342

84
139

0.939

53
88

0.307
0.309
0.342

84
104

=
M-mSin
/
mcos

0.939

58
73

0.370
0.383

m
including
Block wt
84gm

M
including
Pan wt
(24) gm

Sin

Cos

=
M-mSin
/
mcos

84
104

63
88

0.5
0.5

0.866
0.866

0.296
0.399

84
104

68
83

0.5
0.5

0.866
0.866

0.357
0.344

84
104

63
88

0.5
0.5

0.866
0.866

0.357
0.344

PRECAUTIONS :

The pulley should be well lubricated.

The string should be inextensible.

The inclined plane may not be smooth all over hence the coefficient of friction varies from place to place.

RESULT:
The average values of co-efficient of friction for the following surface are:

wood = 0.3635

Glass = 0.362

Metal = 0.329