Static and Kinetic Friction

If you try to slide a heavy box resting on the floor, you may find it difficult to get the box
moving. Static friction is the force that counters your force on the box. If you apply a light
horizontal push that does not move the box, the static friction force is also small and directly
opposite to your push. If you push harder, the friction force increases to match the magnitude of
your push. There is a limit to the magnitude of static friction, so eventually you may be able to
apply a force larger than the maximum static force, and the box will move. The maximum static
friction force is sometimes referred to as starting friction. We model static friction, Fstatic, with
the inequality Fstatic ≤ μs N where μs is the coefficient of static friction and N is the normal force
exerted by a surface on the object. The normal force is defined as the perpendicular component
of the force exerted by the surface. In this case, the normal force is equal to the weight of the
object.

Once the box starts to slide, you must continue to exert a force to keep the object moving, or
friction will slow it to a stop. The friction acting on the box while it is moving is called kinetic
friction. In order to slide the box with a constant velocity, a force equivalent to the force of
kinetic friction must be applied. Kinetic friction is sometimes referred to as sliding friction. Both
static and kinetic friction depend on the surfaces of the box and the floor, and on how hard the
box and floor are pressed together. We model kinetic friction with Fkinetic = μk N, where μk is the
coefficient of kinetic friction.

In this experiment, you will use a Dual-Range Force Sensor to study static friction and kinetic
friction on a wooden block. A Motion Detector will also be used to analyze the kinetic friction
acting on a sliding block.

Figure 1

OBJECTIVES
 Use a Dual-Range Force Sensor to measure the force of static and kinetic friction.
 Determine the relationship between force of static friction and the weight of an object.
 Measure the coefficients of static and kinetic friction for a particular block and track.
 Use a Motion Detector to independently measure the coefficient of kinetic friction and
compare it to the previously measured value.
 Determine if the coefficient of kinetic friction depends on weight.

MATERIALS
Vernier Motion Detector
Projectile Motion
Vernier Dual-Range Force Sensor
string
block of wood with hook
balance or scale
mass set
masking tape
5 basket-style coffee filters

PROCEDURE
Part I Starting Friction
1. Measure the mass of the block and record it below.

Mass of block kg

2. Set the range switch on the Dual-Range Force Sensor to 10 N. Connect the Force Sensor to
Channel 1 of the interface.

3. Open the file “Static Kinetic Frict” from eCampus.

4. Tie one end of a string to the hook on the Force Sensor and the other end to the hook on the
wooden block. Place a total of 1 kg mass on top of the block, fastened (or taped) so the
masses cannot shift. Before you collect data, practice pulling the block and masses with the
Force Sensor using a straight-line motion: Slowly and gently pull horizontally with a small
force. Very gradually, taking one full second, increase the force until the block starts to slide,
and then keep the block moving at a constant speed for another second.

5. Hold the Force Sensor in position, ready to pull the block, but with no tension in the string.
Click to set the Force Sensor to zero.

6. Click to begin collecting data. Pull the block as before, taking care to increase the
force gradually. Repeat the process as needed until you have a graph that reflects the desired
motion, including pulling the block at constant speed once it begins moving. Sketch this
graph below.

7. Inspect the force vs. time graph, compare the force necessary to keep the block sliding
compared to the force necessary to start the slide, which one is bigger?
 Your answer:

Part II Peak Static Friction and Kinetic Friction

In this part, you will measure the peak static friction force and the kinetic friction force as a
function of the normal force on the block, as shown in Figure 1. In each run, you will pull the
block as before, but by changing the masses on the block, you will vary the normal force on the
block.

8. Remove all masses from the block.

9. Click to begin collecting data and pull as before to gather force vs. time data.

10. Examine the data by clicking Statistics, . The maximum value of the force occurs when the
block started to slide. Record this value of the maximum force of static friction in the table
below.

11. Drag across the region of the graph corresponding to the block moving at constant velocity.
Click Statistics, , again and read the average (or mean) force during the time interval. This
force is the magnitude of the kinetic frictional force, record it in the table below.

12. Repeat Steps 9–11 for two more measurements and average the results to determine the
reliability of your measurements. Record the values in the data table.

13. Add masses totaling 500 g to the block. Repeat Steps 9–11, recording values in the data
table.

14. Repeat for a total mass of 1000 g. Record values in your data table.

15. Calculate the normal force of the table on the block alone and with each combination of
added masses. Since the block is on a horizontal surface, the normal force will be equal in
magnitude and opposite in direction to the weight of the block and any masses it carries. Fill
in the Normal Force entries for both data tables below.

Part II Peak Static Friction and Kinetic Friction

Total mass Normal force Peak static friction Average

(kg) (N) peak static friction
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
(N)

Total mass Normal force Kinetic friction Average

 Projectile Motion
(kg) (N) Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 kinetic friction
(N)

16. Plot a graph of the maximum (peak) static friction force (vertical axis) vs. the normal force
(horizontal axis) using Logger Pro.

17. Since Fmaximum static = μs N, the slope of this graph is the coefficient of static friction μs. Find
the numeric value of the slope, including any units by adding a Proportional Curve Fit. The
Proportional Curve Fit passes through the origin.

μs = ________________

18. In a similar graphical manner, find the coefficient of kinetic friction μk. Create a plot of the
average kinetic friction forces vs. the normal force. Recall that Fkinetic = μk N. The
Proportional Curve Fit passes through the origin.

μk = ________________

Air Resistance
When you solve physics problems involving free fall, often you are told to ignore air resistance
and to assume the acceleration is constant and unending. In the real world, because of air
resistance, objects do not fall indefinitely with constant acceleration. One way to see this is by
comparing the fall of a baseball and a sheet of paper when dropped from the same height. The
baseball is still accelerating when it hits the floor. Air has a much greater effect on the motion of
the paper than it does on the motion of the baseball. The paper does not accelerate very long
before air resistance reduces the acceleration so that it moves at an almost constant velocity.
When an object is falling with a constant velocity, we prefer to use the term terminal velocity, or
vT. The paper reaches terminal velocity very quickly, but on a short drop to the floor, the baseball
does not.

Air resistance is sometimes referred to as a drag force. Experiments have been done with a
variety of objects falling in air. These sometimes show that the drag force is proportional to the
velocity and sometimes that the drag force is proportional to the square of the velocity. In either
case, the direction of the drag force is opposite to the direction of motion. Mathematically, the
drag force can be described using Fdrag = –bv or Fdrag = –cv2. The constants b and c are called the
drag coefficients that depend on the size and shape of the object.

When falling, there are two forces acting on an object: the weight, mg, and air resistance, –bv or
– cv2. At terminal velocity, the downward force is equal to the upward force, so mg = –bv or
mg = – cv2, depending on whether the drag force follows the first or second relationship. In
either case, since g and b or c are constants, the terminal velocity is affected by the mass of the
object. Taking out the constants, this yields either
 vT µm or vT 2  m
2
If we plot mass versus vT or vT , we can determine which relationship is more appropriate.

In this experiment, you will measure terminal velocity as a function of mass for falling coffee
filters and use the data to choose between the two models for the drag force. Coffee filters were
chosen because they are light enough to reach terminal velocity in a short distance.

OBJECTIVES
 Observe the effect of air resistance on falling coffee filters.
 Determine how the terminal velocity of a falling object is affected by air resistance and
mass.
 Choose between two competing force models for the air resistance on falling coffee filters.

PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS
1. Hold a single coffee filter in your hand. Release it and watch it fall to the ground. Next, nest
two filters and release them. Did two filters fall faster, slower, or at the same rate as one
filter? What kind of mathematical relationship do you predict will exist between the velocity
of fall and the number of filters?

Your answer:

2. If there was no air resistance, how would the rate of fall of a coffee filter compare to the rate
of fall of a baseball?

Your answer:

3. Sketch a graph of the velocity vs. time for one falling coffee filter.

Your answer:

4. Draw a free body diagram of a falling coffee filter once it has achieved the terminal velocity.
(Hint: There are only two forces acting on the filter. Once the terminal velocity vT has been
reached, the acceleration is zero, so the net force, åå F = ma = 0)

Your answer:
Projectile Motion
Procedure M otion
D etector

1. Connect the Motion Detector to the DIG 1

channel of the interface.

2. Support the Motion Detector about 2 m

above the floor, pointing down, as shown
in Figure 1.

3. Open the file “Air Resistance” from

eCampus.

4. Place a coffee filter in the palm of your

hand and hold it about 0.5 m under the Interface
Motion Detector. Do not hold the filter
closer than 0.15 m.

5. Click to begin data collection.

When the Motion Detector begins to click,
release the coffee filter directly below the
Motion Detector so that it falls toward the
floor. Move your hand out of the beam of
the Motion Detector as quickly as possible
so that only the motion of the filter is
recorded on the graph.

Figure 1
6. If the motion of the filter was too erratic to get a smooth graph, repeat the measurement.
With practice, the filter will fall almost straight down with little sideways motion.

7. The velocity of the coffee filter can be determined from the slope of the position vs. time
graph. At the start of the graph, there should be a region of increasing slope (increasing
velocity), and then it should become linear. Since the slope of this line is velocity, the linear
portion indicates that the filter was falling with a constant or terminal velocity (vT) during
that time. Drag your mouse pointer to select the portion of the graph that appears the most
linear. Determine the slope by clicking the Linear Fit button, .

8. Record the slope in the data table (a velocity in m/s).

9. Repeat Steps 4–8 for two, three, four, and five coffee filters.

DATA TABLE
(Terminal Velocity)2
Number Terminal Velocity
of filters 2 2 2
vT (m/s) vT (m /s )

1
2
3
4
5
ANALYSIS
1. To help choose between the two models for the drag force, plot terminal velocity vT vs.
number of filters (mass). On a separate graph, plot vT 2 vs. number of filters. Use Logger Pro
to make the plots. Scale each axis from the origin (0,0). Page 2 of the experiment file is
already prepared for you.
2. During terminal velocity the drag force is equal to the weight (mg) of the filter. If the drag
force is proportional to velocity, then vT  m . Or, if the drag force is proportional to the
square of velocity, then vT 2  m . From your graphs, which proportionality is consistent with
your data; that is, which graph is closer to a straight line that goes through the origin? To
answer this, you want to use the fit function y = mx instead of a straight line fit y = mx + b,
thus you are forcing b = 0 on each graph.
Your answer (which model is a better fit to your data?):

Write down the fit equation for each model with the constant.

What are the units of the constant for each model.

4. How does the time of fall relate to the weight (mg) of the coffee filters (drag force)? If one
filter falls in time, t, how long would it take four filters to fall, assuming the filters are always
moving at terminal velocity?
Your answer:

5. Using your best fit equation (one of the two models), make a prediction: What would be the
terminal velocity for six coffee filters? Show all your work below.

Prediction: vT = _______________ m/s

Projectile Motion

6. Now perform the experiment and determine the terminal velocity for six coffee filters. If you
do not see a region of constant velocity, increase the height of the motion detector since 6
coffee filters may take longer to achieve the terminal velocity.

Experimental: vT = _______________ m/s

7. Did you get the experimental value close to your prediction?

Your answer: