Measuring the Coefficient of Friction of Wood On Wood

By: Yongkang Mo, Cody Harman, Josh Primrose

Abstract
The purpose of this experiment is to measure the coefficient of friction of wood on wood
by accelerating on one another while applying constant force. The literature value of μk
for wood on wood is 0.2 (Knight, pg.164); however, μk in this experiment yields
μk = 0.433 ± 0.025 which disagrees with literature value.

Introduction And Theory

This experiment will measure the coefficient of kinetic friction between two pieces of
smooth wood using a hanging mass and pulley to drag the wood across the other piece.
Changes in mass will vary the tension in the string pulling the block across the block A,
and these changes in force on the block from tension in the string pulley system will
cause the block to move faster or slower depending on if weight was added or removed.
The motion detector along with these changes in mass will be used to measure the
acceleration of the block.

Using Newton’s Second Law F net = ma (Knight, pg.142), we can determine the equation
for accelerating block B while applying constant tension from the string which has a
hanging mass at the other end to be,

F net = T − f k (1)

F net (N ) is the net force; T (N ) is the tension of the string; f k (N ) is the friction force. In
this experiment, the F net equal to ( mwood + mweight )a ; T equal g mweight ; In order to derive
the coefficient of kinetic friction f k = μk n (Knight, pg.164), f k can be rewritten as
μk gmwood , thus,

( mwood + mweight )a = g mweight − μk gmwood (2)

Where mwood (kg) is the mass of the block B; mweight (kg) is the mass of weight with the
hook; a (m/s2 ) is the acceleration; g (m/s2 ) is the gravity; μk is the coefficient of friction.
Since the block is sitting on a flat surface at 0º angle, g mwood (N ) is the normal force of
block B. The coefficient of friction can be derived as,

By linearizing the equation, the dependent value is ( mwood + mweight )a (m/s2) , and the
independent is mweight (kg) .
Plotting ( mwood + mweight )a vs mweight . The slope is determined to be
s=g (3)

And the intercept is − μk gmwood . (4)

The intercept is expected to be 0.3N , assuming the g = 9.81m/s2 , μk = 0.2.

Equipment
● String
● Two blocks of wood
○ Block B ( mwood = 0.1527kg) (small square block)
○ Block A (approximately 1 meter long)
● Weights (10g, 50g, 100g)
● Weight hook
● Pulley with table clamp
● Vernier Motion Detector

Figure 1:​ In the picture demonstrates the setup for this experiment.

Procedure
The longer wood block was laid on the table and the small wood block was placed on
top of the longer block. Then, one end of the string was attached to the small block, and
the other end was attached to the weight hook. Then, the mass of the small block and
the hanging mass was recorded. The pulley was then clamped to the edge of the table.
Next, the string was lain to rest the on the pulley. At this time, the weights were be
hanging over the pulley. The motion probe was then placed at the end of the longer
block opposite of the pulley, and was orientated to point toward the small block. Then,
the motion probe was plugged into the laptop and logger pro was opened. When the
person at the laptop said go, they hit the collect button and at the same time the small
block was released. After that, the average acceleration of the small block was recorded
and written down. This was then repeated 10 times.

Data and calculation

For this experiment the the hanging mass and acceleration were measured and used in
the graph to produce a slope which was used to find the coefficient of friction(μ​k​).

Table 1:​ The measured readings of hanging weights (kg) vs. acceleration (m/s2 ) .
Hanging Acceleration Total mass Total mass *
weights (kg) (m/s2 ) (kg) acceleration
(N )

0.0804 0.806 0.2331 0.1879

0.1003 1.386 0.253 0.3507

0.1104 1.801 0.2631 0.4738

0.1203 2.214 0.2730 0.6044

0.1304 2.396 0.2831 0.6783

0.1510 3.078 0.3037 0.9348

0.1612 3.125 0.3139 0.9809

0.1710 3.491 0.3237 1.1300

0.1811 3.539 0.3338 1.1813

Table 1:​ This data table shows the hanging weights (kg) , acceleration ( sm2 ) of the Block
B, total mass (kg) of block B and hanging weights, and total mass * acceleration (N ) .
Graph 1: ​The total mass(kg) times acceleration(m/s​2​) vs the mass(kg) of the hang
weight.

Graph 1: ​The graph above shows the linear fit line of the total mass(kg) of the system
times acceleration(m/s​2​) vs the changing mass of the hanging weights(kg).

Analysis:
The data in figure 1 is put into logger pro to create graph 1. Then, using the best fit line
on graph 1, the slope of the line came out to be

s = 10.25 +- 0.27 m/s​2

The slope was then used in equation 3 to solve for the value of gravity(g).

g = 10.25 +- 0.27 m/s​2

Then, looking at graph 1 the intercept(b) is found to be

Intercept = -0.649 +- 0.037 m/s2

After that, the value of gravity true value of gravity which is 9.8 m/s​2​(Knight) is then
plugged into equation 3 along with the intercept and the mass of the wood(m​wood​) to
solve for the coefficient of friction(μ​k​).
 μ​k​ = 0.433+- 0.025

Uncertainty
Since both the wooden block is weighed by digital a scale its uncertainty is found using
equation 5 (Buffler) where a is the level of accuracy in our measurement:

√2a
u​digital​ = 2√3
(5)

The acceleration was also read digitally of the computer so it also uses equation 5
(Buffler) above.

For the uncertainty of the coefficient of friction u(μk ) graph 1 is looked at. It is then
derived that the equation for the u(μ​k​) is

2 2
+ ( gmb )2 (U (mwood ))2
√(
−1
u(μk ) = gmwood ) (U (b)) wood
(6)

Then for the uncertainty of gravity u(g), since gravity is equal to the slope of graph 1 (as seen in
equation 3) then u(g) = u(s) m/s​2​. Therefore:

u(g) = u(s) m/s​2 (7)

Below in table 2 all the uncertainties are summed up in an uncertainty budget.

Table 2: ​The Uncertainties with their formulas and the calculated standard uncertainty
for each.

Table 2:​In column one of Table 2 it shows the source for each uncertainty. Column 2
displays the type of each uncertainty. In column 3, it show the probability distribution
graph shape. Column 4, shows the equation to find each uncertainty. Column 5, shows
the resulting standard uncertainty for each source above.

Interpretation and Discussion:

After using the known value for the acceleration of gravity(g) which is 9.8 m/s​2​, and then
using the intercept on graph 1 along with equation 4, the value for the coefficient of
kinetic friction( μk ) is found.

μk = 0.433 ± 0.025

The coefficient of friction for wood on wood is given by the literature value is
approximately 0.02(Knight pg.164). When comparing that number to the one calculated
in this experiment, the coefficient of friction found does not agree with the approximate
value of 0.02. However, when considering that the given target coefficient can is an
approximation and not an exact known value. Also, in this experiment the mass of the
string and the friction of the pulley and not taken into account, as well as the gravity is
assumed to be exact 9.81 m/s2 and the surface assumed to be at 0º angle. If these
factors were accounted for then the result would most likely be much closer to the
expected value for μ​k​. When to measured value of gravity which was 10.25 ± 0.037 m/s2
was compared to the known value of 9.81 m/s​2​(Knight) is was found to disagree with the
value as well.
Conclusion:
In this experiment the goal was to find the coefficient of kinetic friction( μk ) between
wood and wood. After some manipulation of equations, μk turned out to be:

μk = 0.433 ± 0.024

and gravity(g) was:

g = 10.25 ± 0.037 m/s2

The value of μ for wood on wood given by the instructor is expected to be around 0.2
(Knight pg.164) so the μ found in this experiment does not agree with that predicted
result. Also, the measured value of g did not agree with the predicted value of 9.81
m/s​2​(Knight). In order to improve this result, one might try a more precise way to find
acceleration then just using a distance sensor. Also, this experiment did not account for
the mass of the string or the friction of the pulley. Those two thing would likely produce
a better result.

Bibliography
● Knight, Randall. (2015). ​Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach.
Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson Education, Inc.
● Andy Buffler and Saalih Allie. ​Introduction to Measurement in the Physics Laboratory.