E XPERIMENT 5

C OEFFICIENTS OF S TATIC AND K INETIC F RICTION

5.1 Pre-Lab Assignment

1. What do you expect to know/learn from this experiment?

2. What are the quantities that are to be measured during the experiment? Also, write down the quantities
that are to be determined (calculated) from the measured values.

3. Suppose a block of mass m lies on a plane inclined at an angle θ. Let θs be the maximum angle at which
the mass can remain static on the plane. Let θk be the angle at which the block slides down the incline at
constant speed. Show that the coefficient of static friction is µs = tan θ and that the coefficient of kinetic
friction is µk = tan θk . (Draw the force diagram.)

4. For either type of coefficient of friction, what is generally assumed about the dependence of the value of
the coefficient on the area of contact between the two surfaces? .

5.2 Objective(s) of the Experiment

In this experiment you will:-:-

g measure the coefficient of static and kinetic friction between two surfaces.

5.3 THEORY
When a body rests or slides on a surface, contact forces are present as part of the interaction of the object and
the surface it is residing on. The contact force can be resolved into its perpendicular and parallel components.
The perpendicular component of the contact force is called the normal force (N) and the component parallel
to the surface is the frictional force (f). The direction of the frictional force is always such as to oppose the
motion of the body relative to the surface.
For an object in motion, the frictional force is called kinetic friction. Kinetic friction is present whenever two
surfaces are in motion with respect to each other. The magnitude of this force is proportional to the normal
force and is given by

fk = µ k N (5.1)

where N is the magnitude of the normal force and µk is called the coefficient of kinetic friction.
Friction is always present even when there is no relative motion. This is called the static friction force and
we could define a corresponding coefficient of static friction µs . The static friction is also proportional to the
magnitude of the normal force while at rest and reaches maximum at the point where the body just starts to
move relative to the surface. In general, we have

0 6 fs 5 (fs )max (5.2)

where fs is the static friction and its maximum value is given by

(fs )max = µs N (5.3)

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28 5. COEFFICIENTS OF STATIC AND KINETIC FRICTION

These coefficients are generally dependent on the nature of the surfaces. In particular the coefficient of kinetic
friction depends on the relative speed of the surfaces. For certain range of speed, the coefficient of kinetic
friction is fairly constant.
In the experiment, the frictional force (f) will be measured as a function of the normal reaction force (N). The
graph of f versus N is plotted. The graph is expected to be a straight line, as shown below.
The coefficient of friction (static or kinetic) is determined from the slope of the graph. That is,

f
µs = Slope = (5.4)
N

5.4 Equipment

Equipment Needed Quantity.

Wooden block (A) with a hook attached to it 1

A plane piece of wood (B) with a grooved wheel at 1
one end
Scale pan (D) 1
Light string 1
Set of standard weights 1 set
Spring balance 1

5.5 PROCEDURE/ DATA COLLECTION

1. Arrange the apparatus as shown in Fig 5.1

Fig. 5.1: Experimental setup

2. Weigh the block A (mA ) and the scale pan D (mD ) on the spring balance. Record the readings.

3. Attach the scale pan D to the hook of A by a light string passing round the wheel C.

4. Mark the initial position of the block A with a pencil.

A) Coefficient of Static Friction

1. Mark the initial position of the block A with a pencil. Then gently add weights to the scale pan D until
block A just begins to slide. Record the weight in the scale pan D.

2. Next return A to its initial position and increase the reaction force of the wooden block B by placing a
known weight on A. Then add weights to D until A begins to slide again. Record the weight in D.

3. Repeat Step 2 for two more increasing weights on A. Record the weights both on the block A and the scale
pan D, and tabulate as in Table 5.1.

Experimental Physics I (Phys 1011)

5.6. DATA ANALYSIS 29

Table 5.1: Data for calculating the coefficient of static friction

B) Coefficient of kinetic friction

1. Place a weight on D and give a slight push toward C. Add increasing weights to D, giving a slight push each
time. At some stage, the block A will be found to continue moving with a steady, small velocity. Record
the corresponding weight in the scale pan.

2. Now increase the reaction force of B by adding weights to A. Then, repeat Step 1 for two more weights on
A, returning the block to its original position on B each time. Tabulate the readings in a table similar to
Table 5.2.

Table 5.2: Data for calculating the coefficient of kinetic friction

5.6 DATA ANALYSIS

A) Coefficient of Static Friction

1. Using the data in Table 5.1, calculate the normal reaction force, N = (mA + mi )g, where mA is the mass
of block A, mi is the mass added on block A and g is the acceleration due to gravity.

2. Using the data in Table 5.1, Calculate the frictional force, fs = (mD + mi )g , where mD is the mass of the
scale pan D, mi0 is the mass added on the scale pan D.

3. Tabulate the results of Steps 1 and 2 in a table similar to Table 5.3. Using the calculated values of fs and
N, plot a graph of fs versus N. Draw the “best” straight line that is nearest to all the points and determine
its slope.

4. Determine the coefficient of static friction (µ ≡ µs ) using Eqn 5.4.

5. Draw the lines with the list and greatest slopes, which just agree with the plotted points. Find the error in
µs from the variation in slope. Discuss possible sources of error.

Table 5.3: Calculation Table.

Experimental Physics I (Phys 1011)

30 5. COEFFICIENTS OF STATIC AND KINETIC FRICTION

B) Coefficient of Kinetic Friction

1. Using the data in Table 5.2, calculate the normal reaction force, .

2. Using the data in Table 5.2, calculate the frictional force, .

3. Tabulate the results of Steps 1 and 2 in a table similar to Table 5.3. Using the calculated values of fk and
N, plot a graph of fk versus N . Draw the “best” straight line that is nearest to all the points and determine
its slope.

4. Determine the coefficient of kinetic friction (µ = µk ) using Eqn 5.4.

5. Discuss possible sources of error.

5.7 QUESTIONS
1. What are the factors that greatly affect the coefficients of static and kinetic friction?

2. How will µs and µk vary if we place standard mass on top of the wooden block?

3. Is friction beneficial? Cite real life situations to assert your point.

Experimental Physics I (Phys 1011)