Experiment No.

Objective:
To verify the laws of friction between various surfaces and to find out the coefficient of friction

Purpose:
1. Experimental verification of laws of friction.
2. Experimental determination of coefficient of friction.

Apparatus:
• Adjustable wooden slide board with slide pulley
• Weight Hangers
• Weights
• Wooden Slider box
• Rope

Related Theory:
Friction:
When surfaces of two bodies are in contact there will be limited amount of resistance to sliding
between them which is called friction.

Types of Friction:
Dry Friction:
Dry friction is encountered when the surfaces of the two solids are in contact under the
condition of sliding or tendency to slide. A friction force tangent to the surface of contact is
developed both during the interval leading up to impending slippage and while slippage takes
place. The direction of force always opposes the motion. This kind of friction is also called
“Coulomb Friction”.
Fluid Friction:
Fluid friction occurs when adjacent layers in a fluid are moving with different velocities. This
motion causes frictional force between fluid elements and those forces depend upon the relative
velocity between the layers. When there is no relative velocity there is no fluid friction. It also
depends upon the viscosity of the fluid which is the measure of its resistance to shearing action
between fluid layers.
Internal Friction:
Internal friction occurs in all solid materials which are subjected to cylindrical loading. For
highly elastic materials the recovery from deformation occurs with very little loss of energy
due to internal friction. For materials which have low limits of elasticity and which undergo
appreciable plastic deformation during loading, a considerable amount of friction may
accompany this deformation.

Laws of Friction:-
1. The total friction that can be developed is independent of the area of contact. This law
is called Coulomb’s Law.
The areas of surfaces in contact are different for the above two cases but the friction between
them is same.
2. Friction is directly proportional to the normal force.
3. At low velocity the friction is independent of the velocity.
Mechanism of Dry Friction
Consider a solid block of mass m rting on a horizontal surface. Apply a force P on the block,
which has continuously increases from zero to a value sufficient to move the block. The contact
surface exerts a force F in the opposite direction to P thus resisting the motion, which is called
friction force. There is also a normal force N which is equal to mg, and the total force exerted
on the block R is resultant of N and F.

Maximum value of static friction Fmax is proportional to the normal force N and we may say

Fmax = ṵsN

Procedure:
1. Note the initial weight of the hanger and the box.
2. Put some weight in the hanger as applied load (P) and also in the box to increase the
normal.
3. Keep on increasing the weight both in the hanger and in the box till the box starts to
move and note down these values.
 4. Note down both the weights each time before increasing them.
5. Plot a graph between P and N and find the coefficient of friction graphically.
6. Repeat the process for iron and brass boxes and find their coefficient of friction.

OBSERVATIONS AND CALCULATIONS

Between Wood and Wood

Ser No P W N = W Cosθ F=P-W Sinθ ṵ = F/N Average

Between Wood and Iron

 Ser No P W N = W Cosθ F=P-W Sinθ ṵ = F/N Average

Between Wood and Brass

Ser No P W N = W Cosθ F=P-W Sinθ ṵ = F/N Average

Graph;
Student should draw the graph between N and F

30

25

20 Series 1
F = Wsinθ
15

10

0
9.9 14.86 19.81 24.16

N = Wcosθ
Precautions:
1. Increase the loads slowly.
2. Do not put heavy loads at start.
3. For determining the angle “θ” take dimensions precisely.