Table of content:

Abstract

page

Introduction

Objectives

Apparatus

Procedures

Precautions while conducting experiment

Data Result

Discussion

10

Conclusion

10

ABSTRACT
This experiment was conducted to accomplish the objective of finding the
static and sliding forces with respect to the area, weight and the material
the object was experimented on. Adding to that we determined the
friction coefficient for the rolling case implemented on the wooden block
experimented on. The wooden block has a layer of plastic hence the
experiment was conducted on both the wooden and the plastic side
separately to compare the results. This experiment was accomplished by
measuring the static and sliding forces of the wooden block using a spring
balance. The results of this experiment proved quantitatively what we as
students before could only measure using formulas and equations. The
average maximum force values were plotted against the normal force for
each mass, and the slope was determined to be the coefficient of static
friction. Next, the average mean force was plotted against the normal
force, and this slope was determined to be the coefficient of kinetic
friction. We found that all of the factors mentioned are directly related to
the coefficient friction.

INTRODUCTION
Friction is a resisting force that acts along the tangent to two surfaces in
contact when one body slides or attempts to slide across another. Normal
force is the force that each bod exerts on the other body, and it acts
perpendicular to each surface. The frictional force is directly proportional
to the normal force.
There are two different kinds of friction. Static friction (Fs) occurs when
two surfaces are still at rest with respect to each other, but an attempt is
being made to cause one of them to slide over the other one. Static
friction arises to oppose any force trying to cause motion tangent to the
surfaces. The static frictional force Fs is given by
Fs sN

Where N stands for the normal force between the two surfaces, and s is a
constant called the coefficient of static friction. The meaning of Equation 1
is that the static frictional force varies in response to applied forces from
zero up to a maximum value given by the equality in that equation. If the
applied force is less than the maximum, then the frictional force that
arises is equal to the applied force, and there is no motion. If the applied
force is greater than the maximum, the object will begin to move, and
static friction conditions are no longer valid.
The other kind of friction occurs when two surface are moving with
respect to each other. It is called kinetic friction, and it is characterised by
a constant k called the coefficient of kinetic friction. The kinetic frictional
force Fk is given by
Fk = kN
Where N is again the normal force. Equation 2 states that the kinetic
frictional force is a constant value any time the object is in motion. In fact,
the coefficient of kinetic friction does vary somewhat with speed. It is
assumed for this laboratory that at the slow speeds used, k does not
depend upon speed. To a good approximation both coefficients are
independent of the apparent area of contact between the two surfaces.
According to velocity, friction may be classified into static friction (when
v=0) and kinetic friction (when v0). According to type of motion, friction
can also be classified into sliding friction (in the case of sliding motion)
and rolling friction (in the case of rolling motion).
Then theres coefficient of friction. This defined as the ratio between the
force necessary to move one surface horizontally over another and the
pressure between the two surfaces. In this experiment, theres two type of
coefficient of friction be determined that is coefficient of static friction and
coefficient of kinetic friction.

The friction coefficient () between two solid surfaces is defined as the

ratio of the tangential force (F) required producing sliding divided by the
normal force between the surfaces (N)
= F /N

OBJECTIVES
This experiment has three main objectives to accomplish
1 To determine the static and sliding (kinetic) friction forces (FS and FK) as
function of:
(a)-Area, (b)-Weight and (c)-Material, and then to compare the friction
forces (FS and FK) for different areas, weights, and materials.
2 To compare rolling and kinetic (sliding) friction forces (FR and FK) as a
function of weight,
3 To determine the friction coefficient in rolling case.

APPARATUS

One set of seven weights, 0.1 to 2 kg with hook,

One set of six stand rods, L=100 mm, D=12mm,

One spring balance (dynamometer) 10N,

One pair of wooden blocks for friction experiments,

PROCEDURES
For each objective a different set of experiment was conducted hence a
total of 3 sets of experiment were conducted. The following shows the
procedure for each se of experiment.
Set 1- Static and sliding friction forces as a function of the area, the
weight and the material (refer to Fig. 1),

1 The small block is placed on the workbench surface with the plastic
(rubber) side down. The static and sliding friction forces, FS and FK
are measured.
2 The wooden block placed on the workbench surface with the wide
wooden side and then the narrow wooden side down. The
measurement for FS and FK recorded.
3 The measurements repeated with the large block for friction
experiments.
4 Results of FS and FK plotted as a function of area, weight, and
material.
5 The corresponding S and K were determined.

Set 2- Static and sliding forces as a function of the force of gravity, (Refer
to Fig. 2)
1 The small block is placed on the workbench surface with plastic side
down. After that the static and sliding friction force is measured.
2 The weights of the block increased by adding in turn the weights of
0.1 kg, 0.2 kg, 0.5 kg and 0.8kg; the measurements repeated.
3 The results of FS, FK, S, and K plotted as a function of the force of
gravity, i.e. weight, W.

Set 3- Rolling and sliding friction as a function of the force of gravity,

(Refer to Fig. 3)
1 The stand rods are lie down next to each other and large block were
placed on the rods with the plastic side down.
2 The horizontal pulling force measured, which maintains a uniform
motion on the rolling rods as the rolling friction force FR.
3 The weight of the block increased by adding in turn the weights 0.1
kg, 0.2 kg, 0.5 kg and 1.0 kg; measurement repeated each turn of
the weight.
4 After that the block aligned parallel to the rod axes to measure the
sliding friction force FK.
5 Graph of sliding friction force and rolling friction force are plotted as
a function of the force of gravity.

PRECATION WHILE CONDUCTING EXPERIMENT

Make sure the block and table are smooth and clear
Make sure constant velocity was maintained to find accurate Fk
Make sure while taking readings to keep eye sight perpendicular to
readings so as to avoid parallax error
Check or adjust spring balance to avoid error
DATA RESULTS
a) SET 1:
Material
Plastic

Weigh
t

Wooden
Small Area

Large Area

Kinetic
Friction
(Fk)
0.981

Fs (N)

Fk (N)

Fs (N)

Fk
(N)

Large

Static
Friction
(Fs)
1.275

0.3924

Small

2.747

1.57

1.079

0.294
3
0.784
8

0.392
4
1.079

0.29
43
0.78
48

b) SET 2
-by using Plastic side
Normal
Force (FN)
3.242
4.223
5.204
8.147
13.052

Fs

Fk

(s)

(k)

2.845
4.120
5.10
7.652
>9.81(immeasure
able)

1.57
1.962
2.747
4.905
8.044

0.8775
0.976
0.980
0.939
null

0.484
0.4645
0.528
0.602
0.616

-by using wooden side

Normal
Force (FN)
3.242
4.223
5.204
8.147
13.052

Fs

Fk

(s)

(k)

1.079
1.668
2.060
3.335
4.709

0.7848
0.981
1.177
1.766
2.747

0.333
0.394
0.396
0.409
0.361

0.242
0.232
0.226
0.217
0.210

c) SET 3
Rolling
Mass (kg)
3.242
4.223
5.204
8.147
13.052

FR
0
0
0
0
0

(R)
0
0
0
0
0

*Forces are too small to be measured.

Sliding
Mass (kg)
3.242
4.223
5.204
8.147
13.052

FK
0.981
1.177
1.373
1.962
3.728

(K)
0.3026
0.2787
0.2638
0.2408
0.2856

DISCUSSION
Friction is an opposing force that resists the motion or attempted motion
of one surface across another surface. Friction depends on the material of
both the objects surfaces and weight. The heavier the block is, the larger
the friction. However friction is independent of the area of the surfaces in
contact. This can be proved by observing the graph of Set 1 where the
value of friction varies when different material or weight is being
experimented on but the value does not change when different area is
used.
The frictional force is presumed to be proportional to the coefficient of
friction. These coefficients of friction are quoted for a given pair of
surfaces - a coefficient of static friction and a coefficient of kinetic friction.
The amount of force required to move an object starting from rest is
greater than the force required to keep it moving at constant velocity once
it is started. Therefore, Static friction is greater than kinetic friction.
In the Set 3 experiment, the friction caused when using rolling rods is so
small that it can be considered to be insignificant. This is because the
table is horizontal and there is no component of force tangent to the
surface; hence even if the coefficient of static friction were zero there
would be no sliding. Therefore the static friction force is zero. The relative
velocity between the surface of the ball and the horizontal surface near
the point of contact the velocity is wholly normal to the plane. Therefore
the kinetic friction force is zero.
Therefore we could say that:
Static friction > kinetic friction > rolling friction for the same combinations
of surfaces.
Due to inconsistent force in this experiment when pulling the block, it is
best when one person pulls the blocks 3 trials. Also some of the
experiment cannot be measured, therefore a larger and more sensitive
dynamometer needed in the future. This makes the data more accurate
and less erroneous.
CONCLUSION
Due to inconsistent force in this experiment when pulling the block, it is
best when one person pulls the blocks 3 trials. Also some of the
experiment cannot be measured, therefore a larger and more sensitive
dynamometer needed in the future. This makes the data more accurate
and less erroneous. In conclusion to my report, static frictions force will
and should always be greater than that of Kinetic friction due to that more
force is needed in exerting force to be able to move an object while that of
Kinetic Friction, all it has to do is to maintain. Adding to that different
material will make the frictional force vary while the best way to reduce

the frictional force to move the block would be the rolling method since
insignificant frictional force was observed in this method.