Bell, Ha, Hagerty 1

Alyssa Bell, Abby Ha, Erynne Hagerty

Mr. Hill

Physics, Period 3

14 November 2016

Friction Labs: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Part 1: Coefficient of Static Friction

Purpose: ​To determine the coefficient of static friction between the friction block and the table

by measuring the mass of the cup and block.

Hypothesis: ​No change in mass will cause a drastic change in the coefficient.

Procedures:

1. Set up a stand and pulley near a table.

2. Tie one end of string to the fiction black, and tie the other end to cup after sliding the

string through the pulley.

3. Add mass to the cup until the friction block ​just starts to slide​ when released.

4. Use the spring scale to weigh the cup and friction block (with its masses).

5. Change the mass of the friction block and repeat the experiment two more times to find

the change in mass to the cup.

Materials:

1. Stand

2. Pulley

3. Cup

4. Friction block
 Bell, Ha, Hagerty 2

5. Level table

6. String

7. Weights

Data:

Without Sandpaper

Mass of Cup Mass of Block Static Friction Coefficient

m​1​ (g) m​2​ (g) μs

35.4 95.9 .36

68.0 195.9 .34

91.7 295.9 .31

Average: .34

With Sandpaper

Mass of Cup Mass of Block Static Friction Coefficient

m​1​ (g) m​2​ (g) μs

62.9 95.9 .66

122.8 195.9 .63

183.1 295.9 .61

Average: .63

Questions:

1) Write a hypothesis about models for static and kinetic friction that your investigation will

test.

a) No change in mass will cause a drastic change in the coefficient.

 Bell, Ha, Hagerty 3

2) Draw a free-body diagram of the friction block. Label all forces that act on it, including

friction.

3) Derive an equation for the coefficient of static friction in terms of the weights of the

falling mass and friction block.

m weight
a) m block

4) Determine the coefficient of static friction for each of the trials you performed. Enter

these values in Table 1.

a) Values are in Table 1.

5) The model for static friction treats μ s ​as approximately constant, even as the mass of the

friction block was increased. Analyze this model using your experimental data of the

percentage variation between each trial’s results.

y−x
a) x (100%)
 Bell, Ha, Hagerty 4

Part 2: Coefficient of Kinetic Friction

Purpose:​ To determine the coefficient of kinetic friction between the friction block and the table

by adjusting the mass of the cup until a noticeable acceleration has occurred across the table.

Hypothesis: ​Any change in mass will cause the coefficient to increase.

Procedures:

1. Have the same setup as part 1 with the pulley, friction block, cup, and string.

2. Adjust the masses of the cup and/or friction block until there is a noticeable acceleration

of friction.

3. Measure and record the masses and the height the cup drops from its maximum possible

height directly under the pulley (mark the table with tape so the start and end place are

the same).

4. Release the friction block and measure the time it takes for the cup to fall the distance (do

several trials).

Materials:

1. Stand

2. Pulley

3. Cup

4. Friction block

5. Level table

6. String

7. Weights
 Bell, Ha, Hagerty 5

Data:

Experimental Constants

Height Mass of Cup Mass of Block Mass of System

h ​(m) m​1​ (kg) m​2​ (kg) M (kg)

.55 .0416 .0959 .1552

Without Sandpaper

time to drop acceleration net force kinetic friction kinetic friction

t ​(s) a ​(m/s^2) F​net​ ​(N) F​f​ (N) coefficient
μk

.76 .95 .1306 .27708 .295

.86 .74 .11825 .28943 .308

.86 .74 .11825 .28943 .308

.81 .84 .10725 .30043 .320

.78 .90 .11138 .2963 .393

With Sandpaper

time to drop acceleration net force kinetic friction kinetic friction

t ​(s) a ​(m/s^2) F​net​ ​(N) F​f​ (N) coefficient
μk

1.39 .28 .0385 .36918 .393

1.41 .29 .03988 .367805 .391

1.35 .30 .04125 .36643 .390

1.32 .32 .044 .36368 .387

1.41 .28 .0385 .36918 .393

 Bell, Ha, Hagerty 6

Questions:

1) Use the equations of motion to derive an equation for the average acceleration of the

friction block and cup in terms of the height ​h ​and the time ​t ​it takes the cup to fall. (Let

down be the positive direction.) Use your equation to calculate the acceleration in Table

3.

h
a) *See table for results
t2

2) Use Newton’s second law to determine the net force acting on the total system (of block

plus falling cup) from the mass of the system and the acceleration. Show your equation

below. Use your equation to calculate the net force in Table 3.

a) F net = ma *See table for results

3) The net force on the system equals the weight of the hanging cup minus the force of

friction. Rewrite this equation to solve for the force of friction: ​F​net =
​ m​1​g-​F​f

Calculate and record the force of kinetic friction for each trial in Table 3.

a) F f = m 1 - F net *See table for results

4) The coefficient of friction is the ratio of friction force to normal force of the block:

μ​k=
​
F f /m2 g Calculate

and record the coefficient of kinetic friction for each trial in Table 3.

a) Answers are in Table 3.

5) Based on your experimental results, critique the models for static and kinetic friction.

Does your data support your hypothesis or not?

a) Our data does support because the changes in mass do increase the coefficient.
 Bell, Ha, Hagerty 7

6) Compare your data to the tabulated values for the coefficients of static and kinetic friction

in section 5.4 of your text. Using your data, evaluate the precision of the tabulated

coefficients.

a) The average of our coefficient of static friction without the sandpaper was 0.34

and the tabulated value in the textbook shows the average to be about 0.5 which is

precisely 0.16 of a difference from the tabulated value in the textbook. The

average of our coefficient of kinetic friction without the sandpaper was 0.31,

which is precisely 0.01 of a difference from the tabulated value in the textbook.
 Bell, Ha, Hagerty 8

Going Further: Friction on an Incline

Purpose: ​The experiment was to place an object on an inclined plane and see at which angle the

object on the plane will begin to slide.

Hypothesis: ​The coefficient of static friction will be larger on the sandpaper side of the block

rather than the wood side of the block because the sandpaper adds friction from the block against

the board. Tapping the board as it is raised will cause the coefficient to decrease as the height of

the board will be shorter due to the increased friction pushing the block downward.

Procedures:

1. Put your friction block on a board, and slowly tilt the board up until the block just begins

to slip.

2. Using a meter stick, measure the horizontal distance ​x ​and the vertical distance ​y​.

3. Compute the coefficient of static friction, ​μ​static.

4. Repeat these steps above, except have a partner tap the board constantly as you approach

the angle of repose.

5. Adjust the board angle so that the friction block slides at constant speed.

6. Compute the coefficient of sliding (kinetic) friction, μ sliding.

7. Do these steps for both the smooth and the sandpaper side of the friction block.

Materials:

1. Level table

2. Meter stick

3. Friction block
 Bell, Ha, Hagerty 9

4. Stand

5. Flat Board

Data:
F f
μ static = N
= y /x

x= 58.6​ ​m

height (y) = 19.62 m (no sandpaper) 39.8 m (sandpaper)

μ static = ​ .33 (no sandpaper) .68 (sandpaper)

μ sliding = .26 (no sandpaper) .37 (sandpaper)

Questions:

1) Did you measure any difference between ​μ​static and

​ ​μ​sliding?​

a) Yes, the ​μ​static ​ was measured as larger than the ​μ​sliding.

2) Does the force of sliding friction between two surfaces depend on whether the supporting

surface is inclined or horizontal?

a) The force of sliding friction between two surfaces does depend on whether the

supporting surface is inclined or horizontal.

3) Does the coefficient of sliding friction between two surfaces depend on whether the

supporting surface is inclined or horizontal?

a) The coefficient of sliding friction between two surfaces does not depend on

whether the supporting surface is inclined or horizontal.

 Bell, Ha, Hagerty 10

4) Explain why Questions 2 and 3 are different from each other.

a) Questions 2 and 3 are different because question 2 deals with the effect of the

force of sliding friction rather than how question 3 deals with the coefficient of

sliding friction between two surfaces and its effect on an incline. The difference is

also that the coefficient of kinetic friction is the ratio of the force of sliding

friction to the normal force between the sliding surfaces.