Physics 211: Lecture 7

Today’s Agenda

 Friction
 What is it?
 Systematic catagories of forces
 How do we characterize it?
 Model of friction
 Static & Kinetic friction (kinetic = dynamic in some languages)

 Some problems involving friction

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 1

 New Topic: Friction

 What does it do?

 It opposes relative motion of two objects that touch!

 How do we characterize this in terms we have learned (forces)?

 Friction results in a force in the direction opposite to the
direction of relative motion (kinetic friction, static – impending
mot)

N j

FAPPLIED i
ma

fFRICTION
mg some roughness here

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 2

 Surface Friction...

 Friction is caused by the “microscopic” interactions

between the two surfaces:

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 3

 Atomic force microscope

 Very fine tip scans over surface

 Scan resolution: atomic size!

http://stm2.nrl.navy.mil/how-afm/how-afm.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_force_microscop
e

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 4

 Atomic Vibrations  Heat

 Friction force leads to heat

 Other forces do not lead to heat, e.g. gravity
 Catagories of forces (we will work on this much more…)

 Gravity, electric, strong, weak, spring (conservative)

 Friction, viscosity, air resistance (dissipative)

 My hand, baseball bat, etc (external)

 F=ma for all of these, but differences are important.

 Heat is RANDOM motion of stuff
 Energy  heat is “lost” or dissipated (stay tuned)

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 5

 Surface Friction...

 Force of friction acts to oppose relative motion:

 Parallel to surface.
 Perpendicular to Normal force.

N j

F i
ma

fF
mg

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 6

 Model for Sliding (kinetic) Friction
Suitcase

 The direction of the frictional force vector is perpendicular

to the normal force vector N.

 The magnitude of the frictional force vector |fF| is

proportional to the magnitude of the normal force |N |.

 |fF| = K | N | ( = K|mg | in the previous example)

 The “heavier” something is, the greater the friction will

be...makes sense!

 The constant K is called the “coefficient of kinetic friction.”

These relations are all useful APPROXIMATIONS to messy reality.

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 7

 Model...

 Dynamics:
i: F KN = ma
j: N = mg
(this works as long as F is
so F Kmg = ma bigger than friction, i.e. the
left hand side is positive)

N j

F i
ma

K mg mg

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 8

 Lecture 7, Act 1
Forces and Motion
 A box of mass m1 = 1.5 kg is being pulled by a horizontal string
having tension T = 90 N. It slides with friction (k = 0.51) on
top of a second box having mass m2 = 3 kg, which in turn
slides on a frictionless floor. (T is bigger than Ffriction, too.)
 What is the acceleration of the second box ?
(a) a = 0 m/s2 (b) a = 2.5 m/s2 (c) a = 3.0 m/s2

Hint: draw FBDs of both blocks – that’s 2 diagrams

T m1  with friction (k=0.51)

slides

a=? m2 slides without friction

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 9

 Lecture 7, Act 1
Solution
 First draw FBD of the top box:

N1

T m1 f = KN1 = Km1g

m1 g

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 10

 Lecture 7, Act 1
Solution
 Newtons 3rd law says the force box 2 exerts on box 1 is equal and opposite to the force
box 1 exerts on box 2.

 As we just saw, this force is due to friction:

m1 f1,2 = Km1g

f2,1 m2

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 11

 Lecture 7, Act 1
Solution
 Now consider the FBD of box 2:
N2

(contact from…)

(friction from…)

f2,1 = km1g m2

(contact from…)
(gravity from…) m1g
m2 g

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 12

 Lecture 7, Act 1
Solution
 Finally, solve F = ma in the horizontal direction:

m1 1.5 kg
Km1g = m2a a k g   0.51  9.81 m s 2
m2 3 kg

a = 2.5 m/s2

f2,1 = Km1g m2

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 13

 Inclined Plane with Friction:

 Draw free-body diagram:

ma
KN

j N 
mg


Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 14

 Inclined plane...

 Consider i and j components of FNET = ma :

i mg sin KN = ma
j N = mg cos 
KN
ma
mg sin Kmg cos  = ma
j N 

a / g = sin Kcos 
mg 
mg cos 
i
mg sin 

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 15

 Static Friction...
 So far we have considered friction acting when the two surfaces move relative to each other- I.e. when they slide..
 We also know that it acts in when they move together:
the ‘static” case.

 In these cases, the force provided by friction will depend on the OTHER forces on the parts of the system.

N j

F i

fF mg

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 16

 Static Friction…
(with one surface stationary)

 Just like in the sliding case except a = 0.

i: F fF = 0
j: N = mg

 While the block is static: fF F

N j

F i

fF mg
Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 17
 Static Friction…
 The maximum possible force that the friction between two
objects can provide is fMAX = SN, where s is the
“coefficient of static friction.”
 So fF  S N.

 As one increases F, fF gets bigger until fF = SN and the

object starts to move.
 If an object doesn’t move, it’s static friction
 If an object does move, it’s dynamic friction

N j

F i

fF mg
Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 18
 Static Friction... Suitcase

 S is discovered by increasing F until the block starts to

slide:
i: FMAX SN = 0
j: N = mg

S FMAX / mg

N j

FMAX i

Smg mg

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 19

 Lecture 7, Act 2
Forces and Motion
 A box of mass m =10.21 kg is at rest on a floor. The coefficient of static friction between the floor and the box is s = 0.4.
 A rope is attached to the box and pulled at an angle of  = 30o above horizontal with tension T = 40 N.
 Does the box move?

(a) yes (b) no (c) too close to call

 T

m 
static friction (s= 0.4)

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 20

 Lecture 7, Act 2 y
Solution
 Pick axes & draw FBD of box: x
 Apply FNET = ma

y: N + T sin  - mg = maY = 0
N
N = mg - T sin  = 80 N

T
x: T cos  - fFR = maX
The box will move fFR m 
if T cos  - fFR > 0

mg

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 21

 Lecture 7, Act 2 y
Solution
y: N = 80 N x

x: T cos  - fFR = maX

The box will move
if T cos  - fFR > 0 N

T cos  = 34.6 N T

fMAX = sN = (.4)(80N) = 32 N fMAX = sN

m 

So T cos  > fMAX and the box does move

mg
Now use dynamic friction: max = Tcos - KN

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 22

 Static Friction:
 We can also consider S on an inclined plane.

 In this case, the force provided by friction will depend on the angle  of the plane.

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 23

 Static Friction...

 The force provided by friction, fF , depends on .

fF
ma = 0 (block is not moving)

mg sin ff
j N 
(Newton’s 2nd Law along x-axis)
mg


Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 24

 Static Friction...
Blocks
 We can find s by increasing the ramp angle until the block
slides:

mg sin ff
In this case, when it starts to slide:
ffSN Smg cos M
SN
j mg sin MSmg cos M
N
M mg
 Stan M
i

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 25

 Additional comments on Friction:

 Since fF = N , kinetic friction “does not” depend on the

area of the surfaces in contact.
(This is a surprisingly good rule of thumb, but not an exact
relation. Do you see why??)

 By definition, it must be true that S  K for any

system (think about it...).

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 26

 Aside:

 Graph of Frictional force vs Applied force:

fF = SN

fF = KN
fF

fF = FA

FA

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 27

 Problem: Box on Truck

 A box with mass m sits in the back of a truck. The coefficient

of static friction between the box and the truck is S.
 What is the maximum acceleration a that the truck can
have without the box slipping?

m S
a

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 28

 Problem: Box on Truck

 Draw Free Body Diagram for box:

 Consider case where fF is max...

(i.e. if the acceleration were any
larger, the box would slip).

fF = SN mg

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 29

 Problem: Box on Truck

 Use FNET = ma for both i and j components

 i SN = maMAX
 j N = mg

aMAX = S g N

j
aMAX
i

fF = SN mg

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 30

 Lecture 7, Act 3
Forces and Motion
 An inclined plane is accelerating with constant acceleration
a. A box resting on the plane is held in place by static
friction. What is the direction of the static frictional force?

S a

Ff
Ff
Ff

(a) (b) (c)

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 31
 Lecture 7, Act 3
Solution
 First consider the case where the inclined plane is not
accelerating.

N
Ff

mg

N
 All the forces add up to zero!
mg

Ff

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 32

 Lecture 7, Act 3
Solution
 If the inclined plane is accelerating, the normal force decreases
and the frictional force increases, but the frictional force still
points along the plane:

N
Ff
a

mg

N
ma
 All the forces add up to ma!
 F = ma
 The answer is (a)
mg

Ff

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 33

 Problem: Putting on the brakes
Wheel
 Anti-lock brakes work by making sure the wheels roll
without slipping. This maximizes the frictional force slowing
the car since S > K .

 The driver of a car moving with speed vo slams on the

brakes. The coefficient of static friction between the wheels
and the road is S . What is the stopping distance D?

vo
ab v=0

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 34

 Problem: Putting on the brakes

 Use FNET = ma for both i and j components

 i SN = ma
 j N = mg

N
a = S g

j
a
i
fF = SN mg

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 35

 Problem: Putting on the brakes

 As in the last example, find ab = Sg.

 Using the kinematic equation: v2 - v02 = 2a( x -x0 )

 In our problem: 0 - v02 =  2ab( D )

vo
ab v=0

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 36

 Problem: Putting on the brakes

 In our problem: 0 - v02 =  2ab( D )

 Solving for D:
v 02
D= positive
2 ab
acceleration
works the same
v 02 way
Putting in ab = Sg D
2 s g max positive accel
is determined by
vo static friction
ab v=0

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 37

 Recap of today’s lecture

 Friction
 What is it? (Text: 5-1)
 How do we characterize it?
 Model of friction.
 Static & Kinetic friction. (Text: 5-1)

 Some problems involving friction.

 Box on truck.
 Braking distance. (Example 5-7)

 Look at textbook problems Chapter 5: # 21, 29, 31

Physics 211: Lecture 7, Pg 38