Forces and Motion using PhET’s Force and Motion Basics HTML5

Part 2 – Friction

Name-__Hannah Hinton__

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to

 Predict how forces can change motion.
 Provide reasoning and evidence to explain motion changing or not.

1. Open the Forces and Motion Basics simulation and play with the Friction screen for a few minutes.

a. How does the Friction screen differ from the Net Force and Motion screens?
The friction screen is what shows you the direction of the force being applied, and
the way that it is being pushed or pulled according to the Newtons applied.

b. Also, what is something new you discovered?

I discovered that the friction force is always the opposite direction of the force that is
being applied. This example is represented in the Friction screen.

2. Imagine that your friend, Sam is trying to move a box.

a. Using what you learned by exploring, try drawing arrows to predict what might happen in the
pictures below. (Try this part without using the simulation.)

Sam not pushing Sam pushing but box not Sam pushing and box moving
moving

This study source was downloaded by 100000850109596 from CourseHero.com on 11-20-2022 06:28:23 GMT -06:00
1

https://www.coursehero.com/file/47911677/Force-Motion-Labdoc/
 Forces and Motion using PhET’s Force and Motion Basics HTML5
Part 2 – Friction

b. Check your sketches using the sim and make corrections if needed. List any new ideas you
discovered.
Sam is not pushing- no Newtons applied
Sam is pushing but box isn’t moving- 50 Newtons of applied force, and friction force are the
same
Sam pushing and box is moving- applied force is greater than friction force, which causes the
box to move forward.

c. What do you notice about the similarities and differences between the Applied Force arrow
and the Friction Force arrows in each situation?
In both of the situations, the applied force is being ran the opposite direction as the
friction force.

3. How can you make the Friction Force more? What shows you that the force is more?
In order to make the friction force greater, it would be important to increase the roughness of
the surface that the object is on. If a surface is smooth, then there would not be any friction.

4. In your own words,

a. describe Friction Force.
Friction force is how much friction is “holding back” what you are trying to push or pull.

b. describe Applied Force.

Applied force is how much effort you are putting into trying to push or pull an object. This is
represented in Newtons.

5. Have Sam try to move the refrigerator. What’s different from pushing the box? Heavier Mass

a. In the table, draw the Sum of Forces arrow for the different cases:

Sam pushing but Sam pushing and

Sam not pushing
refrigerator not moving refrigerator moving

This study source was downloaded by 100000850109596 from CourseHero.com on 11-20-2022 06:28:23 GMT -06:00
2

https://www.coursehero.com/file/47911677/Force-Motion-Labdoc/
 Forces and Motion using PhET’s Force and Motion Basics HTML5
Part 2 – Friction

b. Were you able to move the refrigerator? If not, what would you have to change? Describe
what you did.
Sam not pushing- 0 Newtons applied, so the fridge will not move
Sam pushing and refrigerator not moving- 500 Newtons applied, and the friction force and
applied force are equal.
Sam pushing and refrigerator moving- reduced friction, and 300 Newtons applied in order for
the fridge to be moved.

6. Try pushing other things; you can even stack them. What have you discovered?
The more mass that you add, the more applied force you are going to have to add in order to
make up for the friction force and the mass that is on the object. Also, it is important to
change the friction force amount to see how your objects will react to the change in friction.

This study source was downloaded by 100000850109596 from CourseHero.com on 11-20-2022 06:28:23 GMT -06:00
3

https://www.coursehero.com/file/47911677/Force-Motion-Labdoc/
 Forces and Motion using PhET’s Force and Motion Basics HTML5
Part 2 – Friction

7. Can you find different ways to make the Sum of Forces arrow change?
a. List at least three:
1. Change in friction
2. Change in mass
3. Change in speed due to the applied force being greater than the friction force, when
there is no friction acting on the object

b. In your own words, what is Net Force?

Net force is all of the forces that are acting on an object.

8. What are some ways you can change the speed?

-change the velocity
-change the direction
-change in both velocity and direction

9. Using your answers to Question #8, what general statement can you make about the relationship
between net force and how fast an object changes its speed.

Velocity is the speed of something in a specific direction, and the speed has to do with the velocity
because of the way that outside forces cause objects to accelerate. The amount of acceleration is
inversely proportional to the mass of the object, which describes this relationship.

This study source was downloaded by 100000850109596 from CourseHero.com on 11-20-2022 06:28:23 GMT -06:00
4

https://www.coursehero.com/file/47911677/Force-Motion-Labdoc/
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)