Experiment 4: Friction

Laboratory Report
Kathrina A. Salazar, Maria Ysabelle V. Santos, Rosa Katrina G. Santos
Group 9
College of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Santos Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines
Abstract
In this experiment, the laws of
friction were verified. They took in
consideration the area of contact, normal
force, and nature of surfaces in contact
when correlated with friction. The effect of
air resistance on folded papers was also
observed.
1. Introduction
An automobile is an example of a
machine that could not serve its purpose
without friction. A car needs tires that are
designed to maintain a high degree of
friction to be able to clasp the road tightly
and eventually lead to a stop. If there is no
friction present, roads will be filled with
accidents. To be able to understand more
about friction, this experiment is done to
verify the laws of friction, and observe the
effect of air resistance on falling coffee
filters.
2. Theory
Friction is a force that is exerted on
an object that is parallel to the surface, but in
direction it is technically opposite with the
object. Law of friction is as follows: When
an object is moving, the friction is
proportional and perpendicular to the normal
force (N). Second, Friction is independent of
the area of contact so long as there is an area
of contact. Third, the coefficient of static
friction is slightly greater than the
coefficient of kinetic friction. Fourth, within

rather large limits, kinetic friction is

independent of velocity. Lastly, friction
depends upon the nature of the surfaces in
contact. Force is the cause of a change in
motion, or technically it is the objects mass
multiplied to its acceleration which means
that force is present when two objects
interact or is in the act of push or pull. There
are 2 main types of force namely, contact
force and action-at-a-distance. The former is
the force that results when the two objects
are physically in contacts while the latter is
the exact opposite.
Newtons First law states that An
object at rest stays at rest and an object in
motion stays in motion with the same speed
and in the same direction unless acted upon
by an unbalanced force. While the second
law states the relationship of an object's
mass m, its acceleration a, and the applied
force F is F = ma. Acceleration and force
are vectors. And in this law the direction of
the force vector is the same as the direction
of the acceleration vector. Lastly, the third
law states that for every action there is an
equal and opposite reaction.
Static and Kinetic force is the
coefficient of friction that states the level of
friction exhibited by the interaction of the
two objects. Static Friction is the force of
friction is greater than the applied force,
while kinetic friction is application of
continuous force after the start of motion
from its rest. The formulas used are:

S =

maximum static friction

normal force

K =

kinetic force
normal force

3. Methodology
The materials used in this
experiment were the spring balance, block
of wood, set of weights, sand paper, plastic
cover, wooden board and papers. Activity 1
was about friction and area contact. Here
they placed the wood block on top of the
wood board. Using a spring balance, they
pulled the block and recorded what
measurement the block moved and what
measurement it had to stay in to keep
moving. Activity 2 was on friction and
normal force. They used the same procedure
with Activity 1 but this time they added
100g per trial for 4 times. With this they
determined the coefficient of static friction
and coefficient of kinetic fiction per trial.
Activity 3 was friction and nature of
surfaces in contact. The surfaces they used
were plastic cover and paper on wood board.
From these they got the maximum static
friction and kinetic friction. Activity 4 they
hypothesized the effects of lubricant such as
baby oil and powder. For the last activity
they used a motion detector to be able to
record the air resistance produced. For every
trial they would add another folder paper on
top of the other and repeat the procedure.

Dropping one filter on top of the motion

detector

Measuring fsmax

Wood with 400g

the force exerted to keep an object that is

already in motion.
Activity 2
Weight of block= 2.2 newtons
fsmax
0.8
1
1.6
1.8

Wood on cartolina

fK
0.6
0.8
1.2
1.4

S
0.8
0.5
0.53
0.45

It can be seen that the heavier the

load gets, the greater the amount of force is
needed. The coefficient of friction shows the
relationship between the force between
objects and the normal force between
objects. From the table above, the values of
S and K are close, but when compared, the
values of S are relatively higher.
Activity 3
Surfaces in Contact
Wood on plastic cover Wood and wood
Wood and sand paper
Wood and plastic cover
4. Results and Discussion
Wood and cartolina
Activity 1
Area
1
2
3

fsmax
0.6
0.6
0.6

fK
0.4
0.4
0.4

The minimum force needed to start

the motion of the block of wood is 0.6
newton. This force is also equal to the
maximum static friction. When pulled, the
force needed to move the block continuously
is 0.4 newton. Througout the three trials, the
measurements obtained were the same. The
static friction is greater than kinetic friction
because the amount of force needed to get
an object moving from rest is greater than

fsmax
0.6
0.8
0.6
0.8

The fsmax and fK are the largest when

wood and sand paper, and wood and
cartolina are rubbed together. Friction
depends on the nature of surfaces in contact.
The table above shows that rubbing wood
and sand paper together generates more
friction than rubbing wood and wood
together. The smoother the surface, the
lesser friction it generates- lesser friction
means it is harder to stop.
Activity 4
The group predicted that the act of
rubbing two bare hands together for 1
minute does not produce the same amount of
heat compared to rubbing two hands with

fK
0.4
0.6
0.4
0.6

ber of Filters
1
2
3
4
5

the application of oil or lotion. According to

the group, the latter produces more heat,
using the concept of the body massage as
reference. When a masseuse applies a
particular amount of oil and rubs her hands
together, heat is generated.
Activity 5
Terminal Velocity
-0.8
-1.016
-1.556
-1.7
-1.773

Starting a motion of a heavy box requires a

greater force rather than keeping it moving
at a constant speed because when something
is moving
it is easier to maintain its motion
Square of Terminal
Velocity
rather that starting from rest.

As the number of filters increases,

the terminal velocity increases. From the
experiment, it can be found that air
resistance is proportional to the velocity of
the falling object; heavy objects have a
higher terminal velocity than light objects.
5. Conclusion
The group was tasked to do five (5)
different activities, to know the friction and
its area of contact, friction and its normal
force, friction and the nature of surfaces in
contact, effects of lubricant and air
resistance. Which are the laws of physics in
application form. And the air resistance is
proportional to the speed so if its fast it is
then the same with squared air resistance
that is observed in the last activity. The
results showed that as we increase the
number of papers the speed increases
because the air resistance minimizes that
cause the squared terminal velocity to
increase. And there is really an effect in the
lubricant, like for oil and lotion. Oil has a
property that exhibited a more hot nature
when rubbed continuously that lotion and
our bare hands dont have.
6. Applications

1. Which will require a greater force: to

start the motion of a heavy box or to
keep the box moving with constant
speed?

2. Why is it difficult to walk with new

leather soles on a polished floor?
The effect of the polish in the floor is the
reduced amount of friction present when an
object contacts the floor. Walking with a
new leather shoes makes it difficult because
the untouched property of the shoes makes it
slippery and the minimized amount of
friction from the floor is not good for
slippery textures.
3. How can an adjustable inclined plane
be used to measure the coefficient of
static friction and coefficient of kinetic
friction.
To calculate s , gradually increase the slope
of the inclined plance until the object first
begins to slide down the plane. s is
determined by the angle of the inclined
plane. The tangent of the angle at which a
block slides down on an incline at constant
velocity gives k .
k = tan k
4. The coefficient of static friction and
coefficient of kinetic friction between
a refrigerator and the floor are 0.45
and
0.38,
respectively.
The
refrigerator weighs 1000N, find the
horizontal force needed to a) start the
motion of the refrigerator b) to keep
the refrigerator moving at constant
speed once it started moving. If a
horizontal force of 400N is applied,

what will happen to the refrigerator?

In this situation, what is the value of
friction?
a)

us x fN =fsmax
0.45 x 1000 = 450 N
To start the motion of the refrigerator
you would need to apply the force of
450 N.

b)

uk x fN =fk

0.38 x 1000 = 380 N

To keep the refrigerator moving at a
constant speed you would need to
apply the force of 380 N.
If a horizontal force of 400N is applied
the refrigerator will not move since the
force applied is less than the weight of
the refrigerator. The static friction will
still be 450 N since the refrigerator is not
moving.
7. References
1. THE FIVE LAWS OF FRICTION. (n.d.).
Retrieved February 06, 2016, from

https://www.msu.edu/course/kin/330/frcition
.htm
2. Static & Kinetic Friction. (n.d.). Retrieved
February 06, 2016, from
http://ffdenphys.uaf.edu/211_fall2002.web.d
ir/ben_townsend/StaticandKineticFriction.ht
m
3. Newton's Laws. (n.d.). Retrieved
February 06, 2016, from
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/PhysicsTutorial/Newton-s-Laws
4. Serway, R., & Chris, V. (2012). College
Physics (9th ed.). USA: Charles Hartford.
5. Science Clarified. (2016). Friction- Reallife applications. Retrieved from
http://www.scienceclarified.com/everyday/R
eal-Life-Chemistry-Vol-3-Physics-Vol1/Friction-Real-life-applications.html
6. The coefficient of kinetic friction. (n.d.)
Retrieved from
http://www.pstcc.edu/departments/natural_b
ehavioral_sciences/Web
%20Physics/Experiment%2006%20PHYS
%201310.htm