Determining the coefficient of Sliding Friction

ABSTRACT
Friction is an inevitable phenomenon. Without friction, it would be impossible to walk or drive cars. However, friction is
also the cause of energy loss and we would like to reduce it for higher efficiency in machines. In this experiment, we will study the
force of friction as an object is stationary and in motion. We will calculate the coefficients of static and sliding friction using video
tracking.
INTRODUCTION
Have you ever noticed that it's harder to get a shopping cart moving than it is to keep it moving. If you try to push your
couch across the room, the first push is the hardest part. Maybe people assume that's nothing more than psychological, but there
really is a physics reason for it. The reason is static friction. Friction, in general, is a force that makes it harder for two objects to
slide alongside one another. Static friction is the friction that exists between a stationary object and the surface on which it's
resting. Once the objects have already started moving, kinetic friction takes over. This is the friction that exists between two
objects moving relative to each other. Kinetic friction isn't as strong as static friction, and so it's easier to keep the shopping cart
moving.
But, what causes friction?
If you were to see an extreme close up of an otherwise smooth surface, you'd see that it contains a whole landscape of
mountains and valleys, pits and bumps. These imperfections cause two surfaces to grip each other and make it hard for things to
slide. But when an object is stationary, there's also something called adhesion between two surfaces. Adhesion is where two non-
moving surfaces stick together slightly, due to some light chemical bonding between the materials. This is what makes static friction
so strong.
Static friction is a force that keeps an object at rest. It must be overcome to start moving the object. Once an object is in
motion, it experiences kinetic friction. If a small amount of force is applied to an object, the static friction has an equal magnitude
in the opposite direction. If the force is increased, at some point the value of the maximum static friction will be reached, and the
object will move.
 EXPERIMENT
To measure the coefficient of static friction, a small block is placed on an incline plane. The angle of inclination is
increased slowly until the block slips down. This specific angle is used to calculate the coefficient of static friction. To measure the
coefficient of kinetic friction, the block is placed on the inclined plane. The block slips down the plane. A high frames per second
(fps) video of the motion is captured and then analyzed using Tracker-Video Analysis and Modeling Tool.

Figure A. Kinetic Friction with angle 29.9° ≈ 30° using Tracker

Kinetic Friction

m = 60 grams (using weighing scale) g = 9.8 m/s2

Ɵ = 29.9˚ (using tracker)

 Figure B. Static Friction with angle 23.2° ≈ 23° using Tracker

Static friction

m = 60 grams (using weighing scale)

Ɵ = 23.2˚

g = 9.8 m/𝑠 2
 Data gathered using Tracker (angle and time)

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

If the surface is tilted to the angle called the angle of repose ∅𝑅 then the block, when started with a slight tap, moves down the
plane with a constant speed. In this case, the normal force is equal in magnitude to the component of the weight of the block
perpendicular to the surface of contact, or

𝐹𝑁 = 𝑀𝑔𝑐𝑜𝑠∅𝑅

A definite relationship exists between the angle of repose θR and the coefficient of sliding friction.

µ = 𝑡𝑎𝑛∅𝑅
In solving the coefficient of friction,

a) Static Friction

𝑠𝑖𝑛Ɵ
µ𝑠 = tanθr or r
𝑐𝑜𝑠Ɵ

𝐵𝑦 substituting the data, we get

µ𝑠 = tan(29.9º)

= 0.56

𝑓𝑁 = mgcosƟ = (60 grams)(9.8 m/𝑠 2)(cos29.9º)

b) Kinetic Friction

µ𝑘 = 𝑓𝑘 / 𝑓𝑁

𝑓𝑁 = mgcosƟ

𝑓𝑘 =( µ𝑘 )( 𝑓𝑁 )

= 509.74 N

The force of kinetic friction is 200.25 by solving. Therefore using this, we can get the coefficient of kinetic friction by the
formula

µ𝑘 = 𝑓𝑘 / 𝑓𝑁
 𝑓𝑁 = mgcosƟ = (60 grams)(9.8 m/𝑠 2)(cos23.2º)

𝑓𝑁 = 540.45

µ𝑘 = 200.25/540.45

µ𝑘 = 0.37

In solving the forces of friction,

a.) Static Friction

𝐹𝑠 = µ𝑠 𝑓𝑁

= (0.56)(509.74)

= 285.45

b.) Kinetic Friction

𝑓𝑘 =( µ𝑘 )( 𝑓𝑁 )

= (0.37)(540.45)

= 199.97
 We have higher forces and coefficient in static friction than in kinetic friction because from what we described so far, it is
clear that the Sliding Friction is less than the Static Friction knowing that static friction is a resistive force where it requires
greater frictional force because the normal force here is equal to the weight of an object and the applied force should be greater
than that of normal force or the forces within the object especially if it has a greater mass so that the object at rest (static friction)
will move and have a kinetic friction in motion with constant velocity but for it to move just apply a little amount of force in the
object in an inclined plane, and make sure that the angle have to be adjusted depending on an object to fall in constant velocity in
an inclined plane.

In this experiment we proved that friction is important in our everyday motion because without it, anybody in motion will
not stop because a friction is a force that opposes motion. We defined two kinds of friction which is static and kinetic friction. We
also experience the both of them in the experiment. We try to avoid static friction by giving a slight push to the block so it can have
kinetic friction because when a body is in motion, static friction is less. The Tracker was used in the experiment to examine the
sliding and static friction. The set-up also consists of camera and video to record and determine the coefficient of sliding friction
and kinetic friction. Experimental results were then compared with fundamental equations in friction to verify the result. In this
case, the friction can be determined clearly. However, the accuracy of the experiment was somehow affected by the unnecessary
factors in the environment.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Increase the angle θR until, with a gentle tap, the block M begins to slide. Be sure that the cord is parallel to the plane. A true
constant speed is difficult to attain because µ varies as the characteristics of the surface vary along the path. Record the value of the
angle of repose θR. Determine the uncertainty in the value of θR by increasing / decreasing the tilt of the track until you can
definitely see that the speed of the block is changing. Use the Tracker-Video Analysis and Modeling to get accurate data of the
experiment.