Lab 2 - Coefficient of Friction

20107007
Colm Corbett
Physics
Lab Date – 13/10/23
Assignment Date – 14/10/23
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Aims of the Experiment
The aim of this experiment was to measure the coefficient of friction between two surfaces.
Theory:
Newtons Law states that ‘to every action there is an equal but opposite force’.

Figure 1

When a block of wood rests on a flat surface with mass of M, it pushes down on the flat surface
as shown in figure 1 with the gravitational force of its weight (W = Mg). The surface in which it
sits will act with equal but opposite force called the reaction/ normal force, R.
Where R = W

A horizontal force can be applied, Fapplied, which will cause the block to slide along the surface and
overcome the force of friction, FR, between the two surfaces as shown in figure 2 below. As no surface is
perfectly smooth the force of friction will apply to almost any surface, the frictional forces are not affect
by the area of the two surfaces in contact.

Frictional Fapplied = mg
force

Figure 2
When the block slides along the surface at a constant velocity, the acceleration of the block will be 0 and
therefore the net horizontal force is 0,

Fnet = 0

The frictional force which the block experiences is dependent on the normal reaction force, R
therefore, F = µR

Where µ is the constant of the coefficient of kinetic friction for the two surfaces which are in contact.
This value is accepted to be between 0 and 1.

In this experiment a wooden block is attached to string draped over a pully which has a hanger on the
opposing end. Mass is added to this hanger which as a result increases the horizontal force in which the
block experiences. Increasing the weight on the hanger will increase the horizontal force the block
experiences until these forces overcome the force of friction and the block begins to slide at a constant
velocity. Figure 3 shows a diagram of this experiment.

Figure 3
Materials used:

- Small block of wood

- Length of wood
- Pulley
- Thread
- Weight hanger
- 0.1Kg weights
- 0.01Kg weights
-

Diagram of apparatus:

Figure 4
Procedure

1. Set up the experiment µas seen in Figure 4 above.

2. Measure and record the initial mass of the block.
3. Place several 0.01Kg masses on the hanger until the block begins to slide along the length of
timber at a constant velocity.
4. Record the mass added to the hanger.
5. Add 0.1Kg of mass to the wooden block.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 at least six times and record the corresponding M and m values in a suitable
table.
7. On graph paper or excel, plot a graph using the recorded values for M and m and determine the
value for the coefficient of friction by finding the slope of the trendline.
8. Compare the value for the coefficient of friction which you find with the accepted range of
values for the surfaces used. Determine the percentage difference between your calculated
value and the accepted range of values for µ.

Results:

Block Mass (Kg) Mass of hanger (Kg)

0.2755 0.04
0.3755 0.05
0.4755 0.06
0.5755 0.08
0.6755 0.09
0.7755 0.1
0.8755 0.11

Figure 5

Coefficient of Friction
0.12
y = 0.1214x + 0.0058
0.1 R² = 0.9897
Mass of hanger (Kg)

0.08

0.06

0.04

0.02

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Block mass (Kg)
 Figure 6

Analysis

As the graph is linear it means that as we increased the mass of the block it took the same ratio of
weight to overcome the newly imposed coefficient of friction. The equation of the trendline was y =
0.1214x + 0.0058, the slope of the line (0.1214) can be determined ass µ and used to find the coefficient
of friction for the surfaces.

Discussion of results

The value which I got for the coefficient of friction between the two wood surfaces was within a 94%
correct percentage error to the accepted value for µ which was 0.129. The shape of the graph appears
to be linear the ration of mass added to the hanger almost perfectly correlates to the mass added to the
wooden block.

Conclusion

To sum up this lab report we have learned how to conduct an experiment to find the coefficient of force
between two surfaces and compiled the collected data in a representable table and chart which helped
up to find the value we were looking for. We also learned what the coefficient of friction is and what it
means for us as engineers and how we will be putting it into practice in the engineering profession.