Friction Lab - p1 of 5

SPH3U1

Date:

Name:

Friction Investigation
Partners Names:
Purpose:

Apparatus: newton spring scales, hooked wooden blocks with known mass, sandpaper, carpet, rubber
mat, metre stick, board protractor, 4-50g slotted masses, assorted masses with different surfaces
Free Body Diagram: Draw a completely labelled FBD for a block moving at constant velocity along a
rough level surface.

Procedure:
Part A: The Coefficient of Kinetic Friction
1.
2.
3.
4.

Record the number and mass of the wooden block in the table provided.
Slide the block along the counter at constant velocity and record the applied force in the table.
Add a slotted mass to the block and repeat step 2.
Repeat step 3 until five data values are obtained. (Note: Each time a new mass is added to the

block, the former masses are kept on. By the 5th trial, there will be 4 masses on the block.)
5. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4, sliding the block along the carpet, rubber mat and the sandpaper.
Part B: The Coefficient of Static Friction
1. Select 3 items (e.g. hooked wooden block, rubber stopper and slotted mass)
2. One at a time, place the item on the metre stick at approximately the 50cm mark and slowly
elevate the metre stick until the item just begins to slide.
3. Measure the angle the metre stick makes with the lab bench at that point where the item just
begins to slide and record it in the table.
Part C: Does Surface Area Matter?
1. Turn the wooden block on its side and slide it along the counter. Record the applied force needed
to slide the block at constant velocity.
2. Repeat step 1 with the carpet, rubber mat and the sandpaper.
Data Tables for Friction Investigation
Block #
Total Mass (kg)

Block Mass (kg)

Part A Wood On Counter blue line on graph
Applied Force (N)
Force of Gravity (N)
Force of Friction (N)

Normal Force (N)

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Total Mass (kg)

Wood On Carpet black line on graph

Applied Force (N)
Force of Gravity (N)
Force of Friction (N)

Normal Force (N)

Total Mass (kg)

Wood On Rubber Mat red line on graph

Applied Force (N)
Force of Gravity (N)
Force of Friction (N)

Normal Force (N)

Total Mass (kg)

Wood On Sandpaper green line on graph

Applied Force (N)
Force of Gravity (N)
Force of Friction (N)

Normal Force (N)

Part B
Item Placed on Metre Stick

Angle at which item begins to slide

Part C
Applied Force (N)
Wood on Counter
Wood on Carpet
Wood on Rubber Mat
Wood on Sandpaper

Analysis:
1. Using the data from Part A, as a group, draw a large graph on chart paper. Draw a separate line,
using the colour described on the data chart, for each wood/surface combination. The graph shows
Force of Friction versus Normal Force. Place the Force of Friction on the vertical axis and the
Normal Force on the horizontal axis. Each student is responsible for plotting one line and
calculating the slope of that line.
2. Draw a best fit straight line through (0,0) for each line and calculate the slope of each line doing
the work directly on the graph. Make sure you do this exactly as you have been taught in class!!!
3. What does the slope represent?
4. Complete the table below:
Materials
k

Part A Coefficients of Kinetic Friction

Wood/Counter
Wood/Carpet
Wood/Rubber Mat Wood/Sandpaper

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5. Using the data from Part B, complete the table below:

Item Name

Part B Coefficients of Static Friction

Angle
Tangent of Angle

6. Using the data from Part C and the data for the unloaded wood block from Part A (i.e. the first line
of data), complete the following table:
Force of Friction (N)

Part C Does Surface Area Matter

Block on Full Face

Block on its Side

Wood/Counter
Wood/Carpet
Wood/Rubber Mat
Wood/Sandpaper
Discussion:
1. Look at the table of Coefficients of Kinetic Friction in step 4 above. Which surface would produce
the most friction against the wooden block? Explain your answer using the data.

2. Look at the table of Coefficients of Static Friction in step 5 above. Which item was the most
slippery on the metre stick? Explain your answer using the data.

3. Look at the table in step 6 Does Surface Area Matter. Does the surface area affect the Force of
Friction? Explain your answer using the data.

Conclusion:
Relate the magnitude of the coefficient of friction to the slipperiness of the surfaces.

Friction Lab - p4 of 5
SPH3U1

Name:_________________
Colour:_________________
FRICTION INVESTIGATION
Purpose

FBD

Data Tables

Part A: The Coefficient of Kinetic Friction

Wood on Counter
0

Wood on Carpet

Wood on Rubber Mat

Wood on Sandpaper

3
/13 C

Part B: The Coefficient of Static Friction

0

1. Graphs of Ff vs FN

2. Line of best fit

3.

4. Table of k

5. Table of s

Part C: Does Surface Area Matter?

Analysis:

Slope Calculation

/19 A

Discussion:

6. Table of Surface Area Comparison

0

1.

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2.

3.

Conclusions:

Comm

App

Total

/13

/19

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