Activity 4: Kinetic and Static Friction

Date Performed SCORE /25

Activity No.4
KINETIC AND STATIC FRICTION

INTRODUCTION

Friction is a force that resists the motion of one surface relative to another with which it
is in contact. Generally, it is directed opposite to the direction of motion and parallel to the
surface in contact. A ball rolling over a smooth surface will eventually come to rest because of
friction. Friction can never be eliminated completely, but it can be reduced to exceedingly small
values in certain situations.

There are two kinds of friction forces namely the static frictional force, (0 ≤ fs ≤ µsN) and
kinetic frictional force fk = µkN where µs and µk are the coefficient of static and kinetic friction
respectively. Both µs and µk are independent of the surface area of the body. N is the normal
force that is directed perpendicular to the surface of contact.

OBJECTIVE
To measure the coefficient of static and kinetic friction of various surfaces.

APPARATUS
Wooden friction board, wooden block with rubber sole, 1 m string, iron stand, spring
balance, 100 and 200 grams load.

PROCEDURE

1. Hang the wooden block on a spring balance and record its mass m o in Table 4.1. Place a
wooden friction board on a table. Place a wooden block on one end of the frictional
board with the larger surface of the block in contact with the board. Connect the
string and spring balance to the wooden block as shown in Figure 4.1.

Figure 4.1: Wooden block attached to a spring balance

2. Pull the spring balance horizontally while keeping the string parallel to the board.
Measure the minimum force F = fs necessary just to start the block in motion. Make
three trials and get the average value and record it on Table 4.1.

3. Pull the spring balance and measure the force F = fk necessary to keep the block in
uniform motion. Make three trials and get the average value and record it in Table 4.1.

4. Place a 100 gram load on top of the wooden block. Repeat steps 2 to 3.

5. Increase the load by 100 grams until the total mass on top of the block is 300 grams. In
each addition of a 100 gram mass, repeat steps 2 to 3.

6. Turn the block so that the side in contact with the friction board has a smaller area.
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Activity 4: Kinetic and Static Friction

Repeat steps 2 to 5. Record all readings in Table 4.2.

7. Repeat steps 1, 2, 4 and 5 using block with rubber sole and record all data in Table 4.3.

8. Place the wooden block on one end of the wooden friction board (with the larger area
of the block in contact with the board) and slowly raise this end. Determine the angle
of inclination �� of the friction board with which the block starts to slide down with
uniform motion when given an initial push. Make 3 trials and record in Table 4.4.

9. Place the wooden block on the wooden friction board (with larger surface of the block
in contact with the board) and incline the board at an angle of 30 0. Figure 4.2 shows
the set-up. Determine the force fs parallel to the board necessary to just start the
block moving up the plane. Make three trials and record your data in Table 4.5.

Figure 4.2: Wooden block attached to a spring balance inclined at an angle ��

DATA AND CALCULATIONS:

1. Fill up Table 4.1.

Table 4.1: Data with the larger surface of the block in contact with the wood (2 pts.)
Wooden X X2 Ys (fs) XYs Yk (fk) XYk
Block

BIG AREA m0g = 4.45 g 19.8025 1.51 g 6.7195 0.8 g 3.56 g2

g2 g2

(m0 + 100)g = 29.4849 1.85 g 10.0455 1.09 g 5.918g2

5.43 g g2 g2

(m0 + 200)g = 41.0881 2.18 g 13.9738 1.28 g 8.204g2

6.41 g g2 g2

(m0 + 300)g = 54.6121 2.51 g 1.48 g 10.9372g2

2
7.39 g g2 18.5489g

ΣXi = 23.68 g ΣX2i = ΣYsi= ΣXiYsi= ΣYki= ΣXiYki=

144.9876g 8.05 g 49.2877g2 4.65 g 28.6192
g2
2. From Table 4.1, graph the relationship between X and Ys with X as x-axis and Ys as y- axis. (1
pt.)

3. From the data in Table 4.1, calculate the slope ms (for static friction) and mk (for kinetic
friction) and its corresponding y-intercept using the principle of least squares. Write your
computations below. What does the slope represent? (2 pts.)
4. From your calculations in #3, what is the experimental value of µs and µk? (2 pts)

9. Fill up Table 4.3.

Table 4.3: Data with the rubber sole in contact with the wood (2 pts.)

Wooden X X2 Ys (fs) XYs

Block

BIG AREA m0g = 4.45 g 19.8025 g2 1.51 g 6.7195 g2

(m0 + 100)g = 29.4849 g2 1.85 g 10.0455 g2

5.43 g

(m0 + 200)g = 41.0881 g2 2.18 g 13.9738 g2

6.41 g

(m0 + 300)g = 54.6121 g2 2.51 g 18.5489g2

7.39 g

ΣXi = 23.68 g ΣX2i = ΣYsi= ΣXiYsi=

144.9876g 8.05 g 49.2877g2

10. From the data in Table 4.3, find the slope ms. What is the experimental value of µs? (2 pts.)
11. Fill up Table 4.4.

Table 4.4: The angle of inclination �� of the friction board with which the block starts to slide
down with uniform motion when given an initial push. (1 pt.)
Trial θ tan θ

1 10.5 0.227

2 10.4° 0.227

3 10.4° 0.227

Average 10.43° 0.227

12. Compare the average value of tan �� with the value of µs obtained in Question #4. (1

13. Fill up Table 4.5 with data obtained from step 9 in the procedure.

Table 4.5: The force fs necessary to start the block moving up the plane (1 pt.)
Trial fs Normal Force, N µs

1 1.51 4 0.33

2 1.85 4 0.33

3 2.18 4 0.33

Ave 2.51 4 0.33

14. Draw the force diagram obtained from step 9. (2 pts.)

15. Using Newton’s Law of Motion, calculate the normal force N and the coefficient of static
friction µs and record it in Table 4.5. (1 pt.)

16. Compare the value of µs obtained from Table 4.4 to the value of µk obtained from Table 4.1.
(1 pt.)
DOCUMENTATION