UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO

KIDAPAWAN CITY CAMPUS

Sudapin, Kidapawan City

COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION
Experiment No.5

GROUP 04 BSEE-2
College of Engineering
Date: December 2024
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 OBJECTIVES
This experiment aims to:
1. Determine the value of coefficient of sliding
friction.
2. Compare the difference between static and
kinetic friction.

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 MATERIALS
•Inclined plane
•Block of wood
•Toy car
•Paraffin wax

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 PROCEDURE
A. Static Friction
1. Measure the mass of the block of wood in grams and
convert to Newtons.
2.Follow the set-up shown below.

3.Place the block of wood on top of the inclined plane. Be

sure it will not slide. Adjust the slope of the plane when
necessary.
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 PROCEDURE
4. Increase the angle of the plane gradually so that
the block will slide down the plane at uniform
motion.
5. Make a free-body diagram of all the forces acting
on the block of wood
6. Calculate the coefficient of static friction.

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 PROCEDURE
A.Kinetic Friction
1. Measure the mass of the toy car.
2. Place the toy car on the wooden plane.
3. Increase the steepness of the plane gradually so that the toy car
will roll slowly down the plane when pushed gently. Make several
trials to be sure you are able to get the right angle.
4. Make a free-body diagram of all the forces acting on the car.
5. Determine the coefficient of kinetic friction.
6. Lock the wheels of the toy car by wedging a folded piece of paper
between the wheels and the car’s frame.
7. Repeat the same procedure for your trial 2.
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 RESULT
DATA
•Static Friction
Trial θ Weight Wx (N) Wy=N (N) Frictional μ
(N) force(N)
1. 34.99 0.39 0.23 0.32 0.096 0.3
2. 30.96 0.39 0.20 0.34 0.136 0.4

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 RESULT
COMPUTATIONS
Trial 1:
*Weight *Wx
W = (0.04kg) (9.81 m/s2) Wx = mg sin θ
W = 0.39 N =(0.04kg) (9.81m/s2) sin (34.99)
Wx = 0.225 N or 0.23 N

*θ *Wy
tanθ = 28.5/41 Wy = mg cos θ
θ = tan-1(0.70) = (0.04kg) (9.81m/s2) cos (34.99)
θ = 34.99 Wy = 0.32 N

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 RESULT
*Wood (μ)
f = μN
f = (0.3) (0.32N)
f = 0.096 N

Free-body Diagram

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 RESULT
Trial 2:
*Weight *Wx
W = (0.04kg) (9.81m/s2) Wx = mg sine θ
W = 0.39 N =(0.04kg) (9.81m/s2) sin (30.96)
Wx = 0.20 N

*θ *Wy
tan θ = 0.29/48 Wy = mg cos θ
θ = tan-1(0.6) = (0.04 kg) (9.81 m/s2) cos (30.96)
θ = 30.96 Wy = 0.34 N

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 RESULT
*Waxed wood (μ) = 0.4
f = μN
f = (0.4) (0.34)
f = 0.136 N
Free-body Diagram

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 PROCEDURE
A.Kinetic Friction
1. Measure the mass of the tor car.
2. Place the toy car on the wooden plane.
3. Increase the steepness of the plane gradually so that the toy car
will roll slowly down the plane when pushed gently. Make several
trials to be sure you are able to get the right angle.
4. Make a free-body diagram of all the forces acting on the car.
5. Determine the coefficient of kinetic friction.
6. Lock the wheels of the toy car by wedging a folded piece of paper
between the wheels and the car’s frame.
7. Repeat the same procedure for your trial 2.
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 RESULT
A.Kinetic Friction

Trial θ Weight Wx (N) Wy=N Frictiona μ

(N) (N) l
force(N)
1. 4.57 0.39 0.031 0.391 0.12 0.3
2. 4.57 0.39 0.031 0.391 0.1564 0.4
3. 18.43 0.39 0.12 0.37 0.185 0.5

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 RESULT
COMPUTATIONS
Trial 1:
*Weight *Wx
W = (0.04) (9.81 m/s2) Wx = mg sin θ
W = 0.39 N Wx = (0.04 kg) (9.81 m/s2) sin (4.57)
Wx = 0.031 N

*θ *Wy
θ = tan-1 (4/50) Wy = mg cos θ
θ = 4.57 Wy = (0.04 kg) (9.81 m/s2) cos (4.57)
Wy = 0.391 N

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 RESULT
*Wood (μ) = 0.3
f = μN
f = (0.3) (0.391N)
f = 0.1173 N

Free-body Diagram

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 RESULT
Trial 2:
*Weight *Wx
W = (0.04) (9.81 m/s2) Wx = mg sin θ
W = 0.39 N Wx = (0.04 kg) (9.81 m/s2) sin (4.57)
Wx = 0.031 N

*θ *Wy
θ = tan-1 (4/50) Wy = mg cos θ
θ = 4.57 Wy = (0.04 kg) (9.81 m/s2) cos (4.57)
Wy = 0.391 N

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 RESULT
*Waxed Wood (μ) = 0.4
f = μN
f = (0.4) (0.391N)
f = 0.1564 N

Free-body Diagram

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 RESULT
Trial 3:
*Weight *Wx
W = (0.04) (9.81 m/s2) Wx = mg sin θ
W = 0.39 N Wx = (0.04 kg) (9.81 m/s2) sin (18.43)
Wx = 0.12 N
*θ *Wy
θ = tan-1 (9/27) Wy = mg cos θ
θ = 18.43 Wy = (0.04 kg) (9.81 m/s2) cos (18.43)
Wy = 0.37 N

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 RESULT
*Waxed wood with wedge paper = 0.5
f = μN
f = (0.5) (0.37 N)
f = 0.185 N

Free-body Diagram

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 DISCUSSION
Friction is the force that resists the motion of an object on a surface. The factors
that affect frictional force are nature of the surfaces in contact, normal force, and
presence of lubricants. The smoother the surfaces, the lower the friction. Rougher
surfaces have higher friction and the greater the normal force, the greater the
friction. The lubricants can also affect frictional force, by reducing friction between
surfaces. There are two types of friction that occur when two surfaces are in contact
with each other. The static friction occurs when two surfaces are not moving
relative to each other while kinetic friction occurs when two surfaces are moving
relative to each other. The coefficient of static friction is not dependent on the angle
of inclination of the plane because it is a property of the two surfaces in contact and
remains constant regardless of the angle. If a 3.0 kg stainless steel drawer becomes
stuck, so Liezel gradually pulls with more and more force. When the applied force
reaches 8.0 N, the drawer suddenly opens, throwing all the utensils to the floor. To
find the coefficient of static friction between the drawer and the

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cabinet the formula that can be used is f = μN. F is the static friction force (8.0 N), μ
is the coefficient of the static friction (the one we need to find) and N is the normal
force (mass * gravity = 3.0 kg * 9.81 m/s2=29.4 N). Rearranging the formula to
solve for coefficient of static friction (μ). The solution would be μ = f/N = 8.0N/29.4
N = 0.27. Therefore, the coefficient of static friction between the drawer and the
cabinet is approximately 0.27. Another illustration, a 5.0 kg cat is hanging on the
tablecloth pulling a 10 kg fishbowl toward the edge of the table. The coefficient of
kinetic friction between the tablecloth under the fishbowl and the table is 0.42. The
acceleration of the cat and the fishbowl can be find using the Newton’s second law
of motion. Before getting the acceleration, find first the net force acting on a
system, the weight of the cat (5.0 kg * 9.81 m/s2 = 49 N), the weight of the fishbowl
(10 kg * 9.81 m/s2 = 98N), the friction force on the fishbowl (0.42 * 98N = 41. 16 N)
and sum it all up to get the net force ((49N + 98N) - 41.16N = 105.84N). Using the
Newtons second law of motion the acceleration can be solved by rearranging the
formula into a = f/m. the solution would be a = f/m = 105.84N/ 15 kg (total mass of
the cat and fishbowl) = 7.056 m/s2. Therefore, the acceleration of the cat and the
fishbowl is approximately 7.056 m/s 2
.
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