Experiment 4:

FRICTION

ARIAS, RONALD R., BILOG, BRIX B., DUCADO,

One of PAMELA
the primaryA., GICAIN, DAVID
fundamental properties
FRANZ., MALAPITAN, STEFFANIE ANNE C., MATEO, MARY ROSE C., PACIS,
of friction entails that it remains parallel to
PATRICK JAMES D., RODIANO, KENT IRISH V., SIMBAJON, VENN MORE C.

School of Engineering
Manuel L. Quezon University
Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

Abstract
the contact surface between surfaces and
This experiment explored the always in the opposite direction of the
concept of friction and its influence on an systems' motion or attempted motion
object's motion. It investigated the relative to each other. When two surfaces
relationship between friction force and come into contact and move relative to one
various factors, such as surface texture and another, the friction those results are
applied normal force. The experiment known as kinetic friction. When objects
employed an inclined plane, blocks with are motionless, static friction exists
different textures, and a ruler. By varying between them; this static friction is usually
the incline angle and the mass placed on stronger than the kinetic friction between
the block, this aimed to measure the the surfaces. Static friction occurs between
frictional force acting on the moving surfaces that are at rest with respect to
object. The measured friction force and the other surfaces. In this laboratory
weight would give the value of the kinetic report, the experimenters explore the
friction coefficients and using an inclining differences between static and kinetic
surface to the point where the block started friction. They also determine the
sliding, the angle at which the plane was coefficients of each friction. For instance,
held at that moment was measured. The you might push very hard on a big crate
collected data was analyzed to identify and fail to move it at all when trying to
movements between friction and the slide it across a concrete floor. This
manipulated variables. This experiment indicates that the static friction reacts to
aimed to understand the nature of friction whatever you do, increasing according to
and validate its dependence on surface your push and move in the opposite
texture and normal force. direction. When you eventually apply
enough force, the crate appears to slip and
Introduction begin to move. Kinetic friction now takes
over static friction. The fact that it is easier
Friction is defined as the resistance to maintain motion once it is moving than
to the motion of an object relative to it was to start it indicates the static
another. It does not constitute a frictional force is greater than the kinetic
fundamental force, like gravity or frictional force. You must use a
electromagnetism include, and according significantly greater force to start and
to the International Journal of Parallel, maintain the motion of the crate if you add
Emergent, and Distributed Systems, mass to it, particularly by placing a box on
scientists believe that the phenomenon is top of it. In addition, as one might
the result of electromagnetic attraction imagine, if you oiled the concrete, it would
between charged particles on two be simpler to start and maintain the crate.
surfaces.
Through experimentation and exploration,
the aim is to deepen our understanding of
the differences between static and kinetic compute coefficients of friction.
friction. Our investigation also seeks to Researchers can distinguish between static
know the coefficients associated with each and kinetic friction and find the
type of friction. Static friction, which coefficients of friction for the specified
prevents motion between stationary surfaces by examining the data gathered
objects, exhibits a resistance that must be during the experiment. These coefficients
overcome to initiate motion, while kinetic shed important light on the characteristics
friction, which opposes the motion of of the contacting surfaces and the
objects sliding past each other, comes into frictional forces at work.
play once motion has begun. Additionally,
the coefficients of static and kinetic Methodology
friction provide insights into the
magnitude of these resistive forces This laboratory experiment
between various surfaces. By exploring involves applying different weights to a
these fundamental properties of friction, spring and measuring their corresponding
we contribute to a deeper understanding of extensions at various scale readings. The
the dynamic interplay between forces and initial scale reading is taken when no
surface interactions in the physics world. weights are applied, and the scale readings
for the weights are recorded as 6.5cm,
Theory 8.3cm, 10cm, 11cm, and 13.5cm
respectively. The extension of the spring
Through an experimental setup can be calculated by subtracting the initial
using a wooden block, a wooden plane scale reading from each subsequent scale
with a pulley, a spring balance, and a reading.The graph with force (weight) on
meter stick, the research explores the one axis and extension on the other axis
nuanced dynamics of friction. The two can verify if the relationship between force
main goals are to determine the boundary and extension follows Hooke's Law. If the
between static and kinetic friction and the graph shows a straight line passing
coefficients that define each. Kinetic through the origin (0,0), it confirms that
friction, the force that opposes the motion the spring obeys Hooke's Law within
of sliding surfaces, and static friction, the certain limits.
resistance to the beginning of motion
between stationary surfaces, are examined Friction is a force that opposes the relative
together. One of the surfaces in contact is motion or tendency of two surfaces in
the wooden block. To find the normal contact. It plays a crucial role in our daily
force (N), measure the mass of the wood lives, affecting how objects move and
block and use the formula N=mg, where m interact with each other. The coefficient of
is the block's mass and g is the friction is a dimensionless quantity that
acceleration brought on by gravity represents the ratio of the force of friction
(approximately 9.8 m/s^2). To measure the between two bodies and the force pressing
force needed to overcome static friction them together.
and move the wood block, use the formula
Fs = μs N spring balance. Gradually Types of friction include static friction,
increase the force provided by obtaining which occurs when an object is at rest and
the spring balance until the block of wood resists any attempt to move it, and kinetic
just starts to move. Once the block moves, friction, which occurs when an object is
the kinetic friction must be overcome already in motion on a surface. Surface
using the formula F k = μ kη on the spring type greatly influences the coefficient of
balance force; still, the meter stick is friction, with smoother surfaces having
employed to measure distances and lower coefficients than rougher surfaces.
 friction (µs) of approximately 0.125.
Experimental data analysis shows that Similarly, when the rough block was
different factors such as surface type and already in uniform motion without a load,
motion affect the coefficients of static and the frictional force decreased further to 5g,
kinetic friction for various scenarios. with a normal force of 89g, yielding a
Understanding the behavior of friction kinetic coefficient of friction (µk) of
through experimental data helps us approximately 0.0625. These differences
comprehend how different factors highlight the influence of surface
influence this fundamental force that irregularities on frictional behavior, with
governs interactions between objects on smoother surfaces exhibiting higher static
various surfaces. friction due to stronger interlocking of
surface irregularities, while rough surfaces
Results and Discussions display lower frictional forces due to
reduced resistance to motion. Further
In this activity, to employ results investigations could explore the effects of
and discussions the experimenters seek to varying loads, surface textures, and
utilize the different laboratory apparatus to environmental conditions on frictional
avoid the manipulation of data. After these forces, providing deeper insights into
assessments are done, the experimenter frictional phenomena and their practical
collects all the data and pictures are also applications.
taken for documentation of the activity
during the evaluation period. Table 1

The experiment delved into the Friction Normal Coeffic

frictional forces between blocks and Surface type al Force Force ient
different surface types to determine the of block of
coefficients of friction under various friction
conditions. Smooth and rough surfaces
Smooth 780g 180g (980) µs =
were tested, revealing distinct behaviors in
block started (980) 4.333
static and kinetic friction. On a smooth
to move
surface, the block exhibited notably higher
without load
frictional force when initiating motion
Rough block 10g(980) 80g(980) µs =
compared to when already in motion.
started to 0.125
Specifically, when the smooth block
move
started to move without any applied load,
without load
the frictional force was measured at 780g,
Smooth 25g 180g(980) µk =
with a corresponding normal force of
block in (980) 0.133
180g, resulting in a static coefficient of
uniform
friction (µs) of approximately 4.333.
motion
Furthermore, when the smooth block was
without load
in uniform motion without a load, the
frictional force decreased to 25g, with the Rough block 5g (980) 89g(980) µk =
same normal force of 180g, yielding a in uniform 0.0625
kinetic coefficient of friction (µk) of motion
approximately 0.133. Contrastingly, on a without load
rough surface, the frictional forces were
notably lower. When the rough block
began moving without a load, the frictional
force was only 10g, with a normal force of
80g, resulting in a static coefficient of
 Table 2 coefficient of friction and the normal
force. To conclude, this happens because
Coefficient smooth surfaces have more grips initially,
Surface type Base Height of friction but once things start moving, there's less
of block resistance. Rough surfaces have fewer
Smooth block 120cm 61 µs = 1.967 grips to start with, but once things get
started to moving, they stay moving more easily.
move down Understanding these differences helps us
by itself design things like shoes, tires, and
Rough block 120cm 66 µs = 1.818 machines to work better on different
started to surfaces. In addition, it determines Friction
move down always opposes the motion and acts in the
by itself direction opposite to the applied force.
Smooth block 120cm 56 µk = 2.142
Applications
moves down
in uniform Friction is a force that resists the
motion after a relative motion of two surfaces sliding
slight push against each other hence there are
Rough block 120cm 64 µk = 1.875 applications in daily life one common
moves down example is walking and driving the friction
in uniform between our shoes and tires and the
motion after a surface allows us to walk and drive
slight push without slipping, In addition to that
braking in a vehicle, friction force converts
kinetic energy into heat slowing down the
vehicle. Grips is also example of friction
application the friction between our hands
and object allows us to grip and move
items effectively, from holding a cup to
using a hand held objects. One last
example is the usefulness of friction in
sports friction plays a role in sports
equipment and activities, for example the
Conclusion friction between the basketball and the
hand determines how the ball is going to
The underlying purpose of this hit the ring.
experiment was to determine the
relationship that existed between the force References
of friction and the normal force of a slide
block. However, the data shown in Table 1 Ghose, T., & Harvey, A. (2022, February
that the two forces are directly related
because as we increased the normal force 8). What is friction? livescience.com.
on the block, the coefficient of friction
increased proportionally. In addition, the https://www.livescience.com/37161-what-
result of experiment in Table 2 therefore
concluded that type of block had a is-friction.html
connection in determining the coefficient
of friction. This experiment overview the
factors contributing to friction include the
Libretexts. (2023, November 8). 18.1:

Friction (Part 1). Physics LibreTexts.

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica.

(2024, March 29). Friction | Definition,

Types, & Formula.Encyclopedia

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