FRICTION AND FRICTIONAL FORCES

Example: A 150 N block is placed on a rough horizontal surface as shown in Fig.13.3 knowing
that block just slides for P = 50 N and Ө = 20°, determine µ. For same Ө =20° and same µ,
determine magnitude of P to just slide the same block, ‘P’ being applied in .opposite direction, at
same point O.

Fig.13.3

Solution: Refer Fig.13.3 showing Free Body Diagram of the block for case I

Fig.13.3(Case I)

∑ Fx = 0 gives Fr = 50 cos 20°

Where Fr = µ R1

R1 = 150 – 50 sin 20° = 132.9 N

µ (132.9) = 50 cos 20°

µ = 0.353

Fig.3(Case II) shows Free Body Diagram of same block for ‘P’ in opposite direction.
 Fig.13.3(Case II)

Here R2 = 150 + P sin 20° And Fr = P cos 20° = R2

P (0.939) = 0.353 (150 + 0.342P)

P = 64.73 N

Example: Two bodies weighing 120 kN and 100 kN rest on an inclined plane and are connected
by a chord which is parallel to the plane. The body weighing 100 kN is below the one weighing
120 kN and coefficient of friction for 100 kN body is 0.2 and that for 120 kN is 0.3. Find the
inclination of the plane to the horizontal and the tension in the chord when motion is about to take
place, down the incline.

Fig.13.4
Solution: Consider the weight of body A, i.e. 100 kN.

Resolving the forces parallel and perpendicular to the inclined plane, we get

F1 + T – 100 Sinθ = 0

µN1 + T – 100 Sinθ = 0

0.20N1 + T – 100 Sinθ = 0

T = 100 Sinθ – 0.25N1

N1 = 100 Cosθ

100 Sinθ – T = 0.20 × 100 Cosθ ----------------------------------(i)

Consider the body B, i.e. 120 kN.

Resolving the forces parallel and perpendicular to the inclined plane, we get

N2 – T – 120 Sinθ = 0

0.3N2 – T = 120 Sinθ

N2 = 120 Cosθ

0.3 × 120 Cosθ – T = 120 Sinθ------------------------------------(ii)

Solving Eqn. (i) and (ii), we get

100 Sinθ – T = 25 Cosθ

36 Cosθ – T = 120 Sinθ

100 Sinθ – 25 Cosθ = 36 Cosθ – 120 Sinθ

61 Cosθ = 220 Sinθ

tanθ = 61/220 = 0.277

θ = 15.49°

Therefore, T = 2.62 kN
CONE OF FRICTION

Fig.14.1
Let ON represent the normal reaction offered by a surface on a body (Fig.14.1). If OX is the
direction in which the body tends to move then the force of friction acts in the opposite direction
i.e, along OE. If the body be in limiting equilibrium the resultant R makes an angle λ with the
normal ON.

Suppose the body is at the point of sliding in other direction, it is easily seen that the resultant
reaction will make the same angle λ with the normal. Hence, when limiting friction is offered the
line of action of the resultant reaction should always lie on the surface of an inverted right circular
cone whose semi-vertex is λ. This cone is called the cone of friction.

Example: A block is weighing 50 kg is placed on a rough surface whose coefficient of friction is

0.30 and inclined force P is applied at its top corner as shown in Fig.14.2. Determine whether the
block will tip or slide and the force P required to move the block.
 Fig.14.2

Solution: W = 50 × 9.81 = 490.5 N

By referring Fig.14.2

∑ Fy = 0

N1 – W + P sin 35°

N1 = 490.5 – 0.574 P

Or

Hence limiting friction force = µ N1

= 0.3 (490.5 – 0.574 P)

= 147.15 – 0.1722 P

Now F = P cos 35° using ∑ Fx = 0

So, F = 0.819 P

Let us assume that block slides before tipping,

Then 0.819 P = 147.15 – 0.1722 P

P = 148.46 N

Now check the tipping of block,

∑ M0 = 0 = (148.46 sin 35°) (0.35) + (148.46 cos 35°) (0.5) – N1 (x)

29.83 + 60.79 – N1 x = 0

90.62 = N1 x

By putting the value of N1, we get

90.62 = (490.5 – 0.574 P) x

x = 0.224 m

As x < 0.35 m, tipping will not occur.

Hence block slides with P = 148.46 N

Example: A ladder 5 m long weighing 200 N is resting against a wall at an angle 0f 60° to the
horizontal ground. A man weighing 500 N climbs the ladder. At what position along the ladder
from bottom does he induce slipping. The coefficient of friction for both the wall and the ground
with the ladder is 0.2.

Fig.14.3

Solution: Let the ladder be at the point of sliding when the man is at a distance x metres from the
foot of the ladder. See Fig.14.3.
Let F be the position of the man.

BF = x, BE = AE = 2.5m

Let the normal reactions at the floor and the wall be R and S. Friction at the floor and the wall
will be 0.2R and 0.2S respectively.

Resolving the forces on the ladder horizontally and vertically,

S = 0.2R--------------(1)

R + 0.2S = 700 N-------------(2)

From equations (1) and (2), we get R = 673.08 N

S = 134.62 N

Taking moments about the lower end of the ladder,

200 × 2.5 cos 60° + 500 × x cos 60° = S × 5 sin 60° + 0.2S × 5 cos 60°

250 +250x = 2.5 S + 0.5 S

250 + 250x = S (2.5 + 0.5)

250 + 250x = 134.62 (2.5 + 0.5)

250 + 250x = 650.23

x = 1.60 m

Example: A block weighing 20 N is a rectangular prism resting on a rough inclined plane as shown
in Fig.14.4.The block is tied up with a horizontal string which has a tension of 5 N. Find

(a) The frictional force on block

(b) Normal reaction of the inclined plane

(c) The coefficient of friction between the surfaces of contact

 Fig.14.4

Solution: Weight of the block W = 20 N

Tension in the horizontal string T = 5 N

Angle of the inclined plane = 45°

Fig.14.5

(dotted arrows indicate the components of the force along the tangential and normal to the
inclined plane)

Resolving the force parallel to inclined plane, we get

F + Tcos45 = Wcos45
By substituting the values, we get

F + 5cos45 = 20cos45

F = 10.61N

(b) Resolving the force in the normal direction, we have

N = Wsin45 + Tsin45

N = 20sin45 + 5sin45

N = 17.68 N

By using the relation, F = µN

10.61 = µ × 17.68

µ = 0.60

Example: A body resting on a rough horizontal plane required to pull 20N inclined at 30° to the
plane just to remove it. It was found that a push of 25N inclined at 30° to the plane just removed
the body. Determine the weight of the body and the coefficient of friction.

Fig.14.6

Solution: given, Pull = 20N, Push = 25N and θ = 30°

Let W = weight of the body in N, N = Normal reaction and µ = coefficient of friction

1. First of all,the pull acting on the body

Resolving the forces horizontally, we get

F = 20 = 20 × 0.866 = 17.32 N

Resolving the forces vertically, we get

N = W - 20 = W – 20 × 0.5 = (W – 10) N

According to the relation,

F=µN

17.32 = µ (W-10)……………………………………ii

2. The push acting on the body

Fig.14.7

Resolving the forces horizontally, we get

F = 25 = 25 × 0.866 = 21.65 N

Now, resolving the forces vertically, we get

N = W + 25 = W + 25 × 0.5 = (W + 12.5) N

By using the relation,

F=µN

21.65=µ(W+12.5)…………………………………………(ii)

Dividing the Eq. (i) to Eq. (ii), we get

17.32 21.65
=
𝑊 − 10 𝑊 + 12.5
 By simplification, we get

W = 100 N

Now, substituting the value of W in both Eq. (i) and Eq. (ii), we get

µ = 0.192

SUMMARY
Kinetic Friction (Fk )
• acts between two surfaces that are in relative motion
• associated with motion
• caused by microscopic bonds that continually form and break as surfaces slide past each other
• always acts opposite to the direction of the velocity, and always tends to act to slow down the
speed of the object
• does not necessarily act opposite to the direction of the net force parallel to the boundary
because (1)There may not be any forces parallel to the boundary other than friction.
(2)Even if there are other forces, they may be in the same direction as Fk .

Static Friction (Fs )

• acts between two surfaces at rest relative to each other.
• more microscopic bonds have time to form, so a greater force is needed to initiate motion
magnitude must be variable and have a maximum value. While the object is at rest, by Newton's
Second Law, we have F = Fs so that as F increases, so does Fs !
• maximum magnitude must be larger than the kinetic friction for a particular pair of materials
because there is more time for bonds to form between surfaces
• acts opposite to the direction of the applied force

Magnitude of Frictional Forces (determined experimentally) Leonardo da Vinci observed that

static and kinetic friction are
• independent of the "macroscopic" contact area
• proportional to the magnitude of the normal force exerted on the object
Kinetic friction: Fk = µkN, opposite to velocity of object and perpendicular to N
where N = normal force acting on the object (between the two surfaces)
µk = coefficient of kinetic friction (depends on properties of the surfaces)
Static friction: 0 ≤ Fs ≤ µsN, opposite to direction of the net applied force
where
µs = coefficient of static friction
µs > µk because bonds between stationary surfaces are harder to break
Note: µk , µs are dimensionless and vary from ~0.01 (smooth) to 1.5 (rough).