FACULTY OF MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING

EXPERIMENT NO: L5
EXPERIMENT NAME: Friction on The Inclined Plane
EXPERIMENT DATE: 11 – 10 – 2019
SUBMISSION DATE: 18 – 10 – 2019
SECTION NUMBER: 02
GROUP NUMBER: 2

GROUP MEMBER’S

NAME ID
MUHAMMAD NU’MAN BIN KHALID FA17008
MOHD AISAMUDDIN BIN AB RAHMAN FA17010
MOHAMMAD RIZMAN BIN ABDUL FA17056
RAHMAN

LAB INSTRUCTOR
MR AIDIL SHAFIZA/ NOR IMRAH BINTI YUSOFF
 Rubric for Evaluating Laboratory Report (BFF2821: Mechanics Laboratory)

Report RATINGS (MARK) MARKS

Elements 3 2 1 GIVEN
Introduction, Clearly present and
Incomplete and
Objective and discuss on Moderate
poor discussion on
Methodology introduction to the explanation on the
any of the
topics, problem introduction,
introduction,
statement, objectives problem, objective
objective or
and implementation and less open-ended
methodology. No
of open-ended element practiced in
open-ended
element in the methodology
practice applied.
methodology
Result and Results are correct
findings Results are correct
and presented in
and presented totally Results are
appropriate tools
as guided by lab partially correct
with elements of lab
sheet
sheet independence
Comprehensive
Discussion analysis on the
Discussion points An incomplete
results and theory by
only focusing on discussion and
adding additional
question in lab sheet poor analysis
discussion points
other than specified
in lab sheet
Conclude with the
Conclusion relate Conclusion not
Conclusion & relation of
with the objective of accurately relate
Reference experiment to the
the experiments. with the objective /
objectives and ample
Moderate number of Poor reference
number of the
reference stated number and not
reference stated
using standard using standard
using standard
format format
format
Report Beyond ordinary
Presentation presentation with
Ordinary Poor presentation
additional material
presentation report format and
from multiple
with most of structure. Very less
sources of reference,
materials depends effort in preparing
consistent
on lab sheet. the report
formatting, and well
structured.
TOTAL:
 BFF2821 Mechanics Laboratory
Title Friction on the inclined plane Category Friction
Prepared by Muhammad Nu’man bin Khalid Matrix No. FA17008
Mohd Aisamuddin bin Ab Rahman Matrix No. FA17010
Mohammad Rizman bin Abdul Rahman Matrix No. FA17056
Date/Time 11/10/2019

1. Introduction

When a block is placed on an incline plane, it tends to slide down the plane. If the angle
of inclination is small, the block is prevented from slipping by the friction between the surfaces.
As the angle is increased, the force exerted down the plane due to the weight of the block also
increases. In the meantime, forces that press the surfaces (between the block and the plane)
together become decreases. At the angle of friction, the force acting downwards just overcomes
the friction and causes sliding motion. Unlike friction on the horizontal plane, in an incline
plane the force that presses the surfaces together is no longer equal to the weight of the block,
W.
Friction force is any force that oppose the motion of the object due to contact with
another object or surface. Kinetic friction force is the force of friction that acts on moving
object to slow down or stop it. The important factor of friction force is the material of the object
and the surface of object come contact with.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this experiment is to investigate the friction on the inclined plane ( 𝜇 )
and to show that a force (applied parallel to the plane) required to slide a block up the plan is
equal to W (sin α + cos α), where α is the angle of plane inclination. This experiment also
tested how the difference surface effect the friction force towards the object by changing the
contact material.
2. Apparatus

Apparatus Quantity/Specification Figure

Mounting panel 1 NIL

Plane assembly 1

Friction block with cord 1

Knurled nuts 2

Plumb bob and line 1

Weight hook 1

Weights 1

Spring balance 10N

3. Procedure

3.1 Preparation
Secure the mounting plane and hang the plumb line over the protector. Record the weight of
the block.

3.2 Test 1
1. Find the coefficient of friction (wood on metal) by the technique used in the “Sliding
Friction” experiment.
2. Place the block at the right end of the plane and tilt the plane until the block slides
down the plane with uniform speed (see Figure 1). Give the block a starting push to
overcome the static friction.
3. When the correct angle has been obtained, measure the angle at the protractor with the
aid of the plumb line.
4. Record this angle as the Angle of Friction ( ∅ ) for metal against wood.
5. The Coefficient of Friction ( 𝜇 ) is equal to tan ∅ .

Figure 1: Experiment setup

3.3 Test 2

1. Maintain the position of the plane, which is at the angle of friction, ∅ .

2. Place the friction block at the left end of the plane and place the cord over the pulley.
3. Attach the weight hook to the end of the cord and apply weights until the block slides
up the plane with slow uniform speed.
4. Give the block a light starting push to overcome the static friction.
5. Record the weight (including the weight of the hook 0.4N).

3.4 Test 3, 4 and 5

Set the angle to 10° ,20° ,30° ,45° for Test 3, Test 4 and Test 5 respectively. Tabulate the data.

3.5 Additional Test

1. Repeat the preparation step with metal on rubber surface and find the angle of
friction, ∅
2. Set the angle to 10° ,20° ,30° and 45°. Tabulate the data.
 Figure 2: Experiment with metal on rubber surface

4. Results

Table below shows the value of the force component parallel to the plane, or P:

Angle P experiment I P experiment II

(wood on metal) (metal on rubber)
0° 1.32N 0.88N

10° 1.47N 1.23N

20° 1.67N 1.42N

30° 1.86N 1.62N

45° 1.96N 1.72N

5. Discussions

1) Proof the equation µ = tan ∅

Normal reaction force = 𝑚𝑔 cos 𝜃

Parallel friction force = 𝑚𝑔 sin 𝜃

𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑔 sin 𝜃

µ= = = tan 𝛳
𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑔 cos 𝜃
2) Draw the free body diagram of the friction block and shows all the forces acting on its.

N P

W
𝜃

3) Derive an equation to pull up the friction block

Fk = µN
N Fk
∑ 𝐹𝑋 = 𝐹𝑔 + (𝐹𝑘 )

𝐹𝑥 = 𝑚𝑔 sin 𝜃 + µN
Fg

W 𝐹𝑥 = 𝑚𝑔 sin 𝜃 + µ(𝑚𝑔 cos 𝜃)

𝜃
𝐹𝑥 = 𝑚𝑔 (sin 𝜃 + µ cos 𝜃)

P = W (sin 𝜃 + µ cos 𝜃)

4) Based on derived equation, calculate value of force, 𝑃calculated and fill up the table.

Experiment I: wood on metal

W, weight of the block = 0.069 Kg = 0.68 N

Angle of Friction ( ∅ ) = 69°

µ = tan 69 = 2.61

P = W (sin 𝜃 + µ cos 𝜃)

Angle (°) 𝑃𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 (𝑁) 𝑃𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 (𝑁) Different

0 1.32 1.27 0.05

10 1.47 1.49 0.02
20 1.67 1.69 -0.02
30 1.86 1.81 0.05
Experiment II: metal on rubber

W, weight of the block = 0.069 Kg = 0.68 N

Angle of Friction ( ∅ ) = 65°

µ = 65 = 2.14

P = W (sin 𝜃 + µ cos 𝜃)

Angle (°) 𝑃𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 (𝑁) 𝑃𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 (𝑁) Different

0 0.88 0.8 0.08

10 1.23 1.03 0.2
20 1.42 1.23 0.2
30 1.62 1.39 0.23
45 1.72 1.5 0.22

5) Derive an equation to pull down the friction block

Fk = µN

∑ 𝐹𝑋 = −𝐹𝑔 + (𝐹𝑘 )

𝐹𝑥 = −𝑚𝑔 sin 𝜃 + µN

𝐹𝑥 = −𝑚𝑔 sin 𝜃 + µ(𝑚𝑔 coa 𝜃)

𝐹𝑥 = 𝑚𝑔 (− sin 𝜃 + µ cos 𝜃)

P = W (− sin 𝜃 + µ cos 𝜃)
6) Give your explanation stating the differences which occur between friction on the
horizontal plane and friction on the inclined plane.

The main difference between the friction on the horizontal plane and friction on the inclined
plane is the angle of friction, ∅ or generally the angle of incline. In horizontal plane the angle
of incline is 0 so with the same equation FF = μ∗ Fg ∗cos(θ), cos 0 = 1 with that the equation
can be reduce into FF =μ∗ FN. In static friction the force is always perpendicular to the surface
thus with greater force to overcome the force parallel to the floor is needed. While in incline
plane the force that acting on the object can be divide into two components which the force
acting A force acting perpendicular to the plane and a force acting parallel to the plane.
Usually the force that perpendicular to the plane equal and opposite in the direction to the
normal force, N. The friction force opposes the motion of the object, so it acts upwards along
the plane, thus the force needed to overcome the two force is higher than in horizontal plane.

7) Different material surface

In this experiment we decided to conduct different material if its effect the coefficient of
friction within the system. With metal on rubber metal we can see that the block harder to
slide rather than the metal on wood, this is because the friction needed overcome the surface
is greater than the wood material. Coefficient of friction varies with object and surface
material that come in contact.

6. Conclusion

From this experiment we find the angle of friction, ∅ by tilting the plane until the
weight block move with a starting push to overcome the static force. By finding the angle of
friction we can use µ = tan ∅ equation to find the coefficient of friction, µ on inclined plane.
Furthermore, we manage to show that a force (applied parallel to the plane) required to slide
a block up the plan is equal to W (sin α + cos α), where α is the angle of plane inclination.
Proving the equation means that we can use it to find the force that required to move the
block upwards to estimate the force without doing the actual experiment. The percent
different between the actual and calculated result are approximal neglect, it mainly causes of
human error such as wrong reading of angle, over estimating the weight needed to overcome
the friction force etc. This experiment also tested how the difference surface effect the
friction force towards the object by changing the contact material. Some material has high
friction coefficient when the two surface in contact, the higher the coefficient the greater
force needed to overcome it.
References

1. Sliding friction. (n.d.). Retrieved 15 October 2019, from

https://physics.tutorvista.com/forces/sliding-friction.html

2. Revision maths. (n.d.). Retrieved 15 October 2019, from

https://revisionmaths.com/advanced-level-maths-revision/mechanics/coefficient-
friction

3. Persson, B. N. J. (2000). Sliding friction: physical principles and applications. Springer.

ISBN 978-3-540-67192-3. Retrieved 15 October 2019.

4. The Organic Chemistry Tutor (2017) Inclined Plane Physics, Basic Introduction,
Normal Force, Kinetic Friction & Acceleration. Retrieved 15 October 2019, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S54We3NRi9Y

5. The Physics Classroms. Vectors - Motion and Forces in Two Dimensions Inclined
Planes (n.d.). Retrieved 15 October 2019, from
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/vectors/Lesson-3/Inclined-Plane