LABORATORIUM FISIKA

FISIKA
LABORATORY MANUAL

BINUS-ASO SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

 Experiment 10
THE INCLINED PLANE, SLIDING FRICTION AND STATIC
FRICTION

I. OBJECTIVE
a. At the end of this topic students can understand and explain:
- The Inclined Plane
- Sliding Friction and Static Friction

II. INTRODUCTION
The Inclined Plane
Suppose you must design a ramp with a cable to hold a heavy object on an inclined
ramp. For a given angle of inclination of the ramp, how much force must the cable
deliver to hold the object on the ramp? How much force must the ramp be able to
support?
You could solve this problem by building ramps and cable and testing them, or by
testing scale models. Alternatively, you could use your knowledge of forces and vectors
to solve the problem mathematically. In the diagram, for example, the weight, F, of the
object on the inclined plane can be resolved into two components: one perpendicular to
the plane, F⊥ , and one parallel to the plane, F|| . The angle, θ, is the angle of inclination
of the inclined plane. In this experiment, you will compare the mathematical solution
with data taken directly from a scale model.

Figure 10.1 The Inclined Plane

Sliding Friction and Static Friction

Friction is a force between two objects that resists motion between the two objects.
Static friction (or sticking friction) is friction between objects that are not moving
relative to each other. For example, static friction can prevent an object from sliding
down an inclined plane. If a net external force on an object is greater than the force of
static friction, the object begins to slide. Sliding friction (or kinetic friction) occurs when
two objects are moving relative to each other. In most cases, the static friction between
two objects is greater than the sliding friction between the two objects. Once sliding
begins, if the sliding object’s motion is constant, then the external force equals the force
of sliding friction.
An explanation of friction assumes that surfaces are atomically close to each other
over a small fraction of their overall area. The surfaces that are atomically close to each
other will exert retarding forces on each other. This contact area is proportional to the
normal force, and therefore the friction force is proportional to the normal force, or
fαFN where f is the friction force and FN is the normal force. The ratio of the friction
force to the normal force is called the coefficient of friction, µ . The friction force is
f = µFN . The coefficient of friction is a unitless number that is between zero and one for
several common surface-to-surface combinations and is determined empirically. In this
experiment you will investigate how the normal force, the contact materials, and the
contact area affect the sliding friction.

Sliding Friction on an Inclined Plane

If the Friction Block is not on a horizontal surface, will the coefficient of sliding
friction, µ k , be different? When an object is on the Inclined Plane at an angle, one
component of the object’s weight (F = mg) is parallel to the surface of the plane ( F|| ),
and another component of F is perpendicular to the plane ( F⊥ ). In theory, this
perpendicular component is equal to the normal force of the surface of the plane.

Figure 10.2 the inclined plane

If there was no friction between the object and the plane, the parallel component of
the object’s weight would accelerate the object down the plane. However, because there
is friction between the object and the plane, the force of friction (f = μFN) opposes the
parallel component of force. In other words, the vector for the force of friction would
point up the plane as the object slides down the plane.

Figure 10.3 Force Diagram

 Imagine that the object is being pulled up the plane by the tension of a thread
connected to a hanging mass. Would the sliding friction (f = μkFN) oppose the parallel
component of the object’s weight, or would the vector for the sliding friction be in the
same direction as the parallel component? Both forces would point down the plane as the
object is pulled up the plane. If the object is pulled at a constant speed, then the net force
on the object is zero. Would the tension in the thread, T, equal the sum of the parallel
component and the sliding friction?

Static Friction on an Inclined Plane

Imagine that the Friction Block is placed on the Inclined Plane, and one end of the
plane is tilted upward until the parallel component of the block’s weight begins to pull
the block down the plane. Static friction holds the block in place on the plane until the
parallel component of the block’s weight is larger than the static friction. If the block
will almost — but not quite — start sliding, then the static friction is as large as possible
and equals the parallel component of the block’s weight.
One way to measure the coefficient of static friction, μk, is to find the maximum angle
at which the plane can be tilted before the block begins sliding down the plane. The
component of the weight of the block that is parallel to the plane, F||, is Mg sin θ, where
M is the mass of the block. The normal force, FN, is the perpendicular component of the
block’s weight, or F⊥ = mg cos θ . The force of static friction, fs, is the coefficient of
static friction, μs, multiplied by the normal force. Therefore, f s = µ s Mg cosθ .
When the block is at rest, the static friction force equals the component of the block’s
weight that is parallel to the incline, or Mg sin θ = µMg cosθ . Solving for the coefficient
of static friction, us, gives the following:
Mg sin θ
µs = = tan θ eq 10.1
Mg cos θ
III. PROCEDURE
a. Equipment
No Quantity Name
1 1 Static Board
2 2 Pulley
3 1 Mass and hanger set
4 1 Inclined plane and cart
5 1 Thread

b. Laboratory Setup
The Inclined Plane
1. Setup the experiment in the static board as shown in figure 10.4.
2. Add a 100-g mass to the cart and measure and record the total mass of the
cart. Calculate and record the weight of the cart-plus-mass.
Total mass of cart : ______________ weight of cart: _______________

Figure 10.4 Experiment setup of the inclined plane.

3. Set up the Inclined Plane on the Statics Board. Start with the plane at 15°.
Put the cart on the Inclined Plane and use thread connected under a pulley to
the Spring Scale to hold the cart in place on the ramp.
4. The force provided by the Spring Scale, F||  measured, equals the component of
the force of gravity that is parallel to the Inclined Plane, F|| The calculated
component of force that is parallel to the Inclined Plane, F|| calculated, is F sin θ,
where θ is the angle of the plane.
 5. Adjust the angle of inclination of the Inclined Plane to each of the values
shown in the table. For accurate values, adjust the pulley and Spring Scale so
that the thread remains parallel to the plane. At each value, record the
measured value, F||  measured, of the force parallel to the plane on table 11.1.
6. At each value, calculate the magnitude of the force parallel to the plane, F||
c alculated = F sin θ and record the calculated value.
7. Calculate the percent difference between the measured and calculated values
of the force parallel to the plane.

Table 11.1 Experiment data

Angle F|| measured F||calculated = F sin θ Percent diff*
0
15
300
450
600
750
*The Percent Difference is the absolulte value of the ratio of the difference
of the measured and calculated values, divided by the average of the
measured plus calculated values, converted to a percentage.

|(measured - calculated) / (measured + calculated ) 2| x 100% eq 10.2

The Normal Force

The force that the Inclined Plane provides to support the cart is called the
normal force (a force perpendicular – “normal” – to the surface.) In the vector
model of the force, the component of force that is perpendicular to the plane,
F⊥ , is F cos θ. The normal force is equal to the force of the cart on the Inclined
Plane, perpendicular to its surface.

1. To measure the force of the cart on the Inclined Plane, reset the Inclined
Plane to 15°. Replace the Spring Scale with a mass hanger connected by a
thread over the pulley to the cart. Add masses to the mass hanger until the
cart and the hanging mass are in equilibrium. (In other words, the force
provided by the tension in the thread equals the component of the cart’s
weight that is parallel to the plane.) as shown in figure 10.5.
2. Record the total mass of the mass hanger and calculate and record the
weight.
Total mass of mass hanger = ______ Weight of mass hanger = _______
3. How does the weight of the mass hanger compare to value of F||calculated, the
component of the cart’s weight that is parallel to the plane? (See the data
table for the value at 150.)
 Figure 10.5 The Normal Force setup

4. Add a second pulley to the Statics Board and set up the Spring Balance
above the pulley. Tie a thread to the hole at the top of the post of the cart.
Arrange the pulley so the thread from the post is in line with the post, and
therefore is perpendicular to the plane. Arrange the Spring Scale so that the
angle of the thread from the pulley up to the scale is vertical as shown in
figure 11.6.

Figure 10.6 Measure of the normal force

5. Pull the Spring Scale up until the force just barely lifts the mass cart off the
Inclined Plane.
6. Record the value of the Spring Scale as the perpendicular force, F⊥
F⊥measured : __________________
7. Calculate the value of the perpendicular force as predicted by the vector
model, F⊥calculated = F sin θ Record the value.
F⊥calculated : __________________
Sliding Friction
1. Setup the experiment in the static board as shown in figure 10.7.
2. Use the Spring Scale to measure the weight of the Friction Block and then
record the value.
weight, W, of friction block = _________________
3. Mount the Inclined Plane on the Statics Board and use the plumb bob to level
the plane. Set the Friction Block on the Inclined Plane and use thread to
connect it over a pulley to a mass hanger as shown.
4. Adjust the pulley so that the thread is parallel to the Inclined Plane.

Figure 10.7 Experiment setup of sliding friction.

5. Add or subtract masses on the mass hanger until the Friction Block moves at a
very slow, constant speed when you give it a small push.
6. If the Friction Block stops, the mass is too light. If the Friction Block
accelerates, the mass is too heavy.
7. The weight of the hanging mass that is sufficient to pull the Friction Block at a
constant speed is fk, the force of the sliding (kinetic) friction between the
Friction Block and the Inclined Plane.
8. Change the following factors and measure the sliding friction force.
a. Normal Force: Add mass to the top of the Friction Block to increase
the normal force between the block and the Inclined Plane.
b. Contact Material: Two sides of the Friction Block are bare wood.
Two other sides are covered with felt. Compare the sliding friction
force for a wood surface to the sliding friction force for an equally sized
felt surface.
c. Contact Area: The top and bottom surfaces have a larger area than the
side surfaces. Compare the sliding friction force for a larger area to the
sliding friction force for a smaller area.
9. Reminders for each trial:
a. Carefully adjust the mass on the mass hanger until the weight of the
hanging mass is enough so that the Friction Block moves at a very
slow, constant speed after you give it a small push.
 b. Record the total mass of the Friction Block, M, and the hanging mass,
m, (total mass of the mass hanger and added masses).
c. Calculate and record the normal force, FN, of the Friction Block on the
Inclined Plane and the sliding friction force, f k (weight of the hanging
mass).
d. Calculate and record the coefficient of friction, f k , which is the ratio of
the sliding friction force, f k , divided by the normal force, FN
Table 10.2 Experiment Data
Added Total Normal Friction Coeficient
Hanging
Trial Mass Mass, M, Force force from friction
Mass, m
(kg) of Block FN=Mg fk=mg μ= fk/FN
1 0
2 0,05
3 0,1
4 0,15
5 0,2
6 0,25
Trial* Surface
Wood,
7
Large
Felt,
8
Large
Wood,
9
Small
Felt,
10
Small
*For trial 7 trough 10, let the total mass of Friction Block be constant

Sliding Friction on an Inclined Plane

1. Setup the experiment in the static board as shown in figure 10.8.
2. Measure and record the weight, W, of the Friction Block.
weight, W =__________
3. Mount the Inclined Plane on the Statics Board and set the angle, θ, to
150. Set up the pulley, mass hanger, thread, and Friction Block. Make
sure that the thread is parallel to the Inclined Plane.
4. Carefully adjust the mass on the mass hanger until the weight of the
hanging mass is enough so that the Friction Block moves at a very
slow, constant speed up the inclined after you give it a small push.
5. Record the total mass of the hanging mass, m, (mass of the mass hanger
and added masses).
 Figure 10.8 Friction on an Inclined Plane Setup.
Calculations
6. Remember that the weight of the Friction Block, W = F = Mg.
Calculate and record the parallel component, F|| = Mg sin θ, of the
block’s weight
7. Calculate the perpendicular component, F⊥ = Mg cos θ, of the block’s
weight and record this as the normal force, FN.
8. Use the normal force, FN, and the coefficient of sliding friction, μk, for
the surface material of the block (either wood or felt) to calculate the
sliding friction force, fk = μkFN.
9. Calculate the weight of the hanging mass, Fhanging = mg and record this
as the tension in the thread, T.
10. Calculate and record the sum of the parallel component of the block’s
weight, F||, and the sliding friction force, fk.

Table 10.3 Experiment Data

Angle Block Hanging Parallel component Normal Force Friction Force Tension
θ Mass, M Mass, m F|| = Mg sin θ F⊥ = FN = Mg cosθ f k = µk FN T = mg

11. Sum of the parallel component of the block’s weight, F||, and the sliding
friction force, fk = ______________.

Static Friction on an inclined plane

1. Setup the experiment in the static board as shown in figure 10.9.
2. Mount the Inclined Plane on the Statics Board and set the angle to zero. Place
the Friction Block on the Inclined Plane.
3. Carefully raise one end of the Inclined Plane until the Friction Block just begins
to slide. Record the angle, θ.
4. Switch the Friction Block to a different surface material and repeat the
procedure.
 Figure 10.9 Increment of angle.

Table 11.4 Experiment Data

Surface Material Angle Coefficient of Static Friction
Wood
Felt

c. Analysis
The Inclined Plane
1. How well does the calculated force based on the vector model compare to
your measured force?

Normal Force
1. How well does the calculated force based on the vector model compare to
your measured force?

Sliding Friction
1. In trials 1 through 6, what happens to the sliding friction as the normal force
increases?
2. In trials 1 through 6, what happens to the coefficient of friction as the normal
force increases?
3. How does the sliding friction for the large wood surface compare to the
sliding friction for the large felt surface?
4. How does the sliding friction for the small wood surface compare to the
sliding friction for the small felt surface?
5. Based on your measurements, does the sliding friction between two objects
depend on the materials that are in contact?
6. How does the sliding friction for the large wood surface compare to the
sliding friction for the small wood surface? How does the sliding friction for
the large felt surface compare to the sliding friction for the small felt
surface?
Sliding Friction on an Inclined Plane
1. How does the tension in the thread compare to the sum of the parallel
component of the block’s weight and the sliding friction force?

Static Friction on an Inclined Plane

1. How does the coefficient of static friction for wood compare to the
coefficient of static friction for felt?
REFERENSES
[1] PASCO Scientific. [Online]. Instruction Manual and Experiment Guide for the PASCO
scientific model ME-9502. Available:
https://www.pasco.com/file_downloads/product_manuals/Basic-Current-Balance-
Manual-ME-9502.pdf December 07,2015 [February 11, 2015]
IV. APPENDICES