FIS-School of Biosciences

Taylor’s University 1

Practical 8 – Case-Based Lab

Name : Natasha Anne Binti Mohammed Noor Azam

Student ID : 0326416

Group Members : 1. Natasha Anne Binti Mohammed Noor Azam

2. Shoban Raja A/L Sivaji Raja

3. Saniika A/P Renganadan

4. Mong Jia Ai

Date of Experiment: 4th May 2016

Report due date: 24th May 2016
Foundation of Science Report submission date: 24th May 2016
Checked by:
School of Biosciences Item/marks
Format/10
Taylor’s University Abstract and Introduction/10
Figures and Diagrams/15
Malaysia Materials and Method/10
Results Discussions/45
References/10
Total
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Contents

Abstract..................................................................................................................................................3

1.0 Introduction.................................................................................................................................3

2.0 Experimental Design...................................................................................................................4

2.1 Materials...........................................................................................................................................4

2.2 Methods............................................................................................................................................5

2.3 Procedure..........................................................................................................................................5

3.0 Results and Discussion.....................................................................................................................6

4.0 Conclusions and Recommendations...........................................................................................7

References..............................................................................................................................................7
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ABSTRACT

The lab experiment was performed to determine the static friction force applied to the roller to move
on three different surfaces which were cardboard, metal and plastic. The weight cells were added to
the weight pan until the roller reaches equilibrium, then more weight cells were added until the roller
starts to move on each of the different surfaces. From this experiment, the static friction was
determined.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The objective of this experiment is to determine the friction forces acting on the roller. In this
experiment, the number of weight of cells used and the type of surface that the roller was in contact
with was taken into account to see which surface affects the friction force acting on the roller.
Friction is known as the force that always opposes the motion of an object. There are two types of
frictional forces, namely the static friction and kinetic friction. The force between two objects that
are not moving relative to the other is known as static friction. When an object is placed on a slope,
but slides down, the latter is where the static friction plays a role on the object. If the object was to be
moved, the static friction must be overcome. When the object starts to slip, the static friction was
taken by kinetic friction.

On the other hand, the kinetic friction is the force that acts on the two objects move relative to one
another, where an object to slide on the surface of the other and kinetic friction resists movement of
the object. Both static and kinetic friction coefficients have. Usually, the coefficient of static friction
is greater than the coefficient of kinetic friction [1]. Static friction in this experiment was calculated
using the following equation:
Fs = T2 - T1 ... [1]

Fs = static friction
T1 = mass of the weight off
T2 = mass weight when moving
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2.0 EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Fig. 8.1 Experimental set up

2.1 MATERIALS

 Incline plane apparatus

 Roller and pan
 Weight cells
 Plastic surface
 Metal surface
 Plastic surface
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2.2 METHODS

The mass of the roller and the plate was measured. The experiment was set up so that the pan was
suspended above the plane and the roller was placed on the inclined plane with different surfaces
such as cardboard, plastic and metal. The weight cells were added to the pan to the roller until an
equilibrium was reached and these data were recorded and tabulated. Next, several weight cells were
added to the pan until the roller starts to move. Then, the mass of the load in the pan was recorded
into the same table.

2.3 PROCEDURE

1) The mass of the load, ml (roll) was measured.

2) The mass of the weight pan (mp) was measured.
3) The test was set up as shown in Figure 8.1.
4) The angle of the inclined plane was adjusted to 25 degrees.
5) A cardboard surface was placed on the inclined plane.
6) More weight cells were added to the weight pan until the roller was stationary. The amount of
weight at this point was recorded.
7) More weight cells were added until the roller starts to move along the inclined plane. The amount
of weight at this point was recorded.
8) The experiment was repeated with angles of 30 to 35 degrees’ inclination.
9) The data was tabulated in a table as shown in Table 8.1.
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3.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 8.1 Tabulation of Friction Forces

Type of surface Cardboard Metal Plastic

Angle of
25˚ 30˚ 35˚ 25˚ 30˚ 35˚ 25˚ 30˚ 35˚
inclination
Mass of weight
42 49 59 48 54 62 43 53 60
when stationary
Mass of weight
58 65 72 55 62 70 57 64 71
when rising

Mass of the load, ml = 152.66 g

Mass of the weight pan, mp = 12.16 g
Using equation (1),
Static friction force for 25°,
Cardboard Metal Plastic
Fs=T2-T1 Fs=T2-T1 Fs=T2-T1
=58-42 =55-48 =57-43
=16 =7 =14
Static friction force for 30°,
Cardboard Metal Plastic
Fs=T2-T1 Fs=T2-T1 Fs=T2-T1
=65-49 =62-54 =64-53
=16 =8 =11
Static friction force for 35°,
Cardboard Metal Plastic
Fs=T2-T1 Fs=T2-T1 Fs=T2-T1
=72-59 =70-62 =71-60
=13 =8 =11

From the calculations above, it shows that the cardboard surface has the highest static friction force
in comparison to metal and plastic surface.
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4.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In this experiment, it was proven by calculation that the roller on the surface of cardboard needed to
exert more force to overcome the static friction in order for the roller to move on the inclined plane.
On the other hand, the roller needed to exert less force to overcome the static friction while being on
the metal surface. The roller on the plastic surface did not need as much force as the roller on the
surface of cardboard or as little as the roller on the metal surface. Therefore, in increasing order, the
force required by the roller on each of these surfaces would be metal surface, plastic surface and the
cardboard surface. Ropes and pulleys which also had mass and friction but it was not taken
accounted for in the equation as they were expected to be kept constant.
Some of the possible error occurred during the experiment could be the hanging weight pan was
swinging. This caused the roller to move forward, even though the static friction was not yet to be
overcome. Furthermore, the string was not parallel to the lab bench which could have caused in a
lesser tension force.

Possible suggestions when repeating this experiment is to ensure the string is straight by constantly
realigning the roller to be parallel with the pulley system. Next, ensure the hanging weight pan to be
stationary before adding more weight cells.

REFERENCES

[1] Friction, 1st ed. 2016.

[2] Practical 8- Case-Based Lab, 1st ed. 2016.
[3] B. Roy, "Coefficients of Friction", Roymech.co.uk, 2011. [Online]. Available:
http://www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tables/Tribology/co_of_frict.htm. [Accessed: 23- May- 2016].
[4] P. Blau, Friction science and technology. New York: M. Dekker, 1996.
[5] B. Persson, Physics of sliding friction. Dordrecht [etc.]: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1996.
[6] L. Trumbauer, What is friction?. New York: Children's Press, 2004.