Experiment 4 Friction) 1

Experiment 4
Friction is the force that opposes the relative motion or tendency toward
such motion of two surfaces in contact. It is not a fundamental force, as it is
made up of electromagnetic forces between atoms. There are two general
types of friction – static and kinetic (or dynamic) friction. Static friction
occurs when the two objects are not moving relative to each other. The
initial force to get an object moving is often dominated by static friction.
Kinetic (or dynamic) friction occurs when two objects are moving relative
to each other and rub together (like a sled on the ground). In most cases,
the static friction is higher than the kinetic friction.
The coefficient of friction (also known as the frictional coefficient) is a

dimensionless scalar value which describes the ratio of the force of friction
between two bodies and the force pressing them together. The coefficient
of friction depends on the materials used -- for example, ice on steel has a
low coefficient of friction (the two materials slide past each other easily),
while rubber on pavement has a high coefficient of friction (the materials
do not slide past each other easily). Coefficients of friction range from near
zero to greater than one - under good conditions, a tire on concrete may
have a coefficient of friction of 1.7.
The coefficient of friction is an empirical measurement -- it has to be

measured experimentally, and cannot be found through calculations.
Rougher surfaces tend to have higher values. Most dry materials in
combination have friction coefficient values between 0.3 and 0.6. Values
outside this range are rarer, but Teflon, for example, can have a coefficient
as low as 0.04. A value of zero would mean no friction at all, an elusive
property--even Magnetic levitation vehicles have drag. Rubber in contact
with other surfaces can yield friction coefficients from 1.0 to 2. In the case
of wood on Wood, coefficient of static friction ranges from 0.25-0.5 while
the coefficient of kinetic friction is about 0.2.
EXPERIMENT NO. 4
STATIC AND KINETIC FRICTION
OBJECTIVES:
1. To identify the factors affecting friction.

2. To measure and compare the coefficients of static and kinetic friction of the
friction board when a wooden block with large and small surfaces is in
contact with it.
MATERIALS:
Wooden friction board, wooden block, spring balance, string, meter stick, and
beam balance.
PRINCIPLE:
Friction is a force that occurs when surfaces slide or tend to slide over one
another. It depends on the kind of materials and how much they are pressed together,
and it results from the mutual contact of irregularities in the surfaces.
There are two types of frictional forces. Static friction is the type of friction
acting on bodies that remain at rest even after they were subjected to external forces.
Kinetic friction is the type of friction acting on bodies in motion, whether accelerating
or moving with constant velocity.
Previous study shows that the sliding frictional force is proportional to the
normal force passing the two surfaces together. In symbols,
Ff  N
In equation form,
Ff = µ N
where Ff is the friction force, µ is the coefficient of friction and N is the normal force.
PROCEDURE:
A. Coefficient of Static friction
1. Weigh the wooden block in a beam balance. Take this measurement as

the normal force acting on the block in a horizontal plane.
2. Attach a piece of string to the hook of the block. To the other end of the
string, attach a spring balance. Use the spring balance to pull the block
resting on a horizontal surface. Record the reading on the scale as the
horizontal force needed to start it moving.
3. Determine the coefficient of static friction, µ s, by dividing this tangential
frictional force by the normal force.
4. Do steps 2-3 for four more trials. Compute for the average coefficient of
friction.
5. Repeat 2-4 this time using different areas in contact with the friction
board (small and large surface areas of the wooden block). Compare the
coefficients of friction when different surface areas of the same material
are used.
B. Coefficient of Kinetic friction
Repeat Procedure A but take the reading in the spring balance only when the
block is already moving with constant speed.
DATA AND RESULTS
A. Larger surface on the friction board
NORMAL FRICTIONAL FORCE

µs µK
FORCE STATIC KINETIC
Average
B. Small surface on the friction board
NORMAL FRICTIONAL FORCE

µs µK
FORCE STATIC KINETIC
Average
ANALYSIS:
1. Based on the results of the experiment, how is friction affected by the area of the
surface in contact with the friction board (large and small surface areas)?
2. Enumerate the factors that affect friction.
CONCLUSION:

Experiment 4 Friction) 1

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What are the two types of friction?

How does the coefficient of friction relate to the frictional force?

Experiment 4

The coefficient of friction (also known as the frictional coefficient) is a

The coefficient of friction is an empirical measurement -- it has to be

1. To identify the factors affecting friction.

1. Weigh the wooden block in a beam balance. Take this measurement as

B. Coefficient of Kinetic friction

DATA AND RESULTS

A. Larger surface on the friction board

NORMAL FRICTIONAL FORCE

NORMAL FRICTIONAL FORCE

2. Enumerate the factors that affect friction.

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