Beth Menhusen

Physics 1

Studying Static and Kinetic Friction

Introduction
Static friction force is sometimes called starting friction. When an individual
attempts to move a stationary object, the force acting against theirs before
the object begins moving is the static friction force. When their force
becomes greater than the static friction force, then the object will move.
The kinetic friction force is sometimes call sliding friction. If an individual is
moving an object at a constant velocity, the force they exert on the object
must remain equal and opposite to the kinetic friction force, or the object will
either stop moving or increase in velocity.
The normal force is the perpendicular force that opposes the force of gravity.
In this experiment, the objectives were to compare the forces of kinetic and
static friction, to observe how changing the normal force affected the
average static and kinetic friction, and to calculate k for the block and
countertop.
Set-up and Procedure
To begin the experiment, first the materials of a LabQuest, motion detector,
force sensor, string, block of wood, mass hanger, meter stick, and mass set
were gathered. The block of wood had a string run through its middle and
using it, the block was hung from the mass hanger to measure its mass. This
value was recorded in Figure Three-Initial Mass of Block. A long string was cut
and one end was attached to the block and the other to the force sensor. The
range switch on the force sensor was set to 50N and the recording interval
on the Lab Quest was set to record 80 samples in a period of 4 seconds. The
set-up is shown in Figure One- Set up for Parts I & II.
Figure One- Set up for Parts I & II

For Part I of this experiment, the force sensor was pulled without moving the
block for approximately 1 second; once the static friction force was
overcome, the block was pulled at a constant velocity for the remainder of
the interval. Next, the force sensor was set to zero while the force sensor
was held with no tension in the string. The previous steps were repeated,

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Physics 2

and the force vs. time graph was printed from the Lab Quest as seen in
Figure Five- Identifying and Comparing Static and Kinetic Friction.
For Part II of this experiment, the block was pulled as before, first with no
mass on the block. The max feature on the Lab Quest was used to find the
peak static friction and this value was recorded in Figure Six- Peak Static
Friction. On the Lab Quests graph of force vs. time, the area which showed
constant velocity was selected and the mean kinetic friction force was found
and recorded in Figure Seven- Kinetic Friction. This procedure was repeated
two more times with no mass on the block. The average of these three peak
static friction values was found, using the equation found in Figure FourEquations Used, and recorded in Figure Six-Peak Static Friction; the normal
force acting on the block was also found using the equation shown in Figure
Four-Equations Used, and this value was recorded in Figure Six-Peak Static
Friction and in Figure Seven-Kinetic Friction. This procedure was repeated
with 250 g, 500 g, 750 g, and 1000 g masses on the block. The initial mass of
the block as well as the total mass after each successive addition of a mass
were recorded in Figure Six-Peak Static Friction and Figure Seven-Kinetic
Friction. The values found for the normal force, average peak static friction,
and average kinetic friction were typed into Microsoft Excel. The relationship
between normal force, static, and kinetic friction was shown by placing the
normal force value on the x axis, and the average static and kinetic friction
values as separate data series on the y axis. This graph is shown in Figure
Eight-How Change in Normal Force Relates to Static and Kinetic Friction.
For Part III of this experiment the motion force sensor was removed and the
motion detector was connected and set to track cart motion. The meter stick
was used to measure a distance of 1.4 m between the block and the motion
detector. This set up is shown in Figure Two-Set Up for Part III.
Figure Two- Set Up for Part III

A 500 g mass was placed on the block and the Lab Quest was set to record
85 samples in 1 second. The Lab Quest was set to record and the block was
pushed approximately 1 m toward the motion detector. On the graph created

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Physics 3

by the Lab Quest, the area that showed a decrease in velocity was selected
and the slope of that line was found and recorded as the acceleration value
in Figure Nine- Calculating k. This process was repeated four times, and for
each trial the kinetic friction force, normal force, and coefficient of kinetic
friction were calculated using the equations shown in Figure Four-Equations
Used.
Data & Analysis
Figure Three- Initial Mass of Block
Mass of Block
.12 kg
This table shows the recorded mass of the wooden block alone, used
throughout the procedure.

Process

Figure Four- Equations Used

Equation

Find average
values

Sum of trial values Number of trials

= Average

Find normal force

(FN)
Find kinetic friction
force (Ffk)
Find coefficient of
kinetic friction (k)

-1(mass -9.8 m/s) = Normal Force

(FN)
Mass x Acceleration= Kinetic Friction
Force (Ffk)
Ffk= k x FN

Sample Calculation

From Figure Five-Peak Static

Friction
(1.47+1.44+1.51)/3= 1.473 N
From Figure Six-Kinetic Friction
-1(.12 kg x -9.8 m/s) = 1.176 N
From Figure Nine-Calculating k
.62 kg x 2.7682 m/s = 1.7163 N
From Figure Nine-Calculating k
1.7163 N = k x 6.076 N
k=.2825

Figure Five- Identifying and Comparing Static and Kinetic Friction

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Physics 4

Figure Five-Identifying and Comparing Static and Kinetic Friction shows the
first seconds of pulling on the force sensor without actually moving the block;
at this point the static friction force had not been overcome. Finally static
friction was overcome and the block began to move; that motion is
represented by the largest peak in the graph. As the block was pulled at a
constant velocity, the pulling force necessary to equal kinetic remained
constant and less than the force required to overcome the initial static
friction.

Total
Mass
(kg)

0.12
0.37
0.62
0.87
1.12

Figure Six-Peak Static Friction

Normal
Peak
Peak
Peak
Force
Static
Static
Static
(N)
Friction
Friction
Friction
Trial 1 (N) Trial 2 (N) Trial 3 (N)
1.176
3.626
6.076
8.526
10.976

1.47
2.15
2.86
3.21
3.56

1.44
2.12
2.66
3.53
4.08

1.51
2.15
2.66
3.14
3.76

Average
Peak
Static
Friction
(N)
1.473
2.14
2.727
3.293
3.800

Figure Six- Peak Static Friction was used to numerically relate changes in
normal force to change in peak static friction. It shows that as normal force
increases, so does peak static friction.
Figure Seven- Kinetic Friction
Total
Normal
Kinetic
Kinetic
Kinetic
Average
Mass
Force
Friction
Friction
Friction
Kinetic
(kg)
(N)
Trial 1 (N) Trial 2 (N) Trial 3 (N) Friction(N
)
0.12
1.176
1.38
1.38
1.38
1.38
0.37
3.626
1.88
1.96
1.94
1.927
0.62
6.076
2.45
2.39
2.39
2.41
0.87
1.12

8.526
10.976

2.95
3.34

2.99
3.40

2.80
3.29

2.883
3.343

Figure Seven-Kinetic Friction was used to numerically display how change in

normal force relates to change in kinetic friction force. It shows that increase
in normal force causes increase in kinetic friction force.

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Physics 5

Figure Eight- How Change in Normal Force Relates to Static and

Kinetic Friction

Static Friction
Static & Kinetic Frction Force Values

Linear (Static Friction)

Kinetic Friction
Linear (Kinetic
Friction)

Normal Force Value

Figure Eight- How Change in Normal Force Relates to Static and Kinetic
Friction graphically summarizes the results of the two previous figures. In
Excel, a trend line was created for the static and kinetic friction value series,
and the R value was found to show precision. The R values for this graph
were greater than .99; therefore, the data was precise. In the trend line
equations for both the static and kinetic friction lines, x equals the normal
force value. For the trend line relating to kinetic friction, y= Ffk. In the

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Physics 6

equation for static friction, y= Fs. The coefficient of x in these equations is k.

The larger coefficient in the static friction equation shows that k is greater
for static friction than for kinetic.
Figure Nine- Calculating k
Trial
Acceleration
Kinetic Friction
(m/s)
Force (N)
1
2.7682
1.7163
2
4.0535
2.5134
3
8.7695
5.4371
4
2.5476
1.5795
5
2.8954
1.7641
Average Coefficient of kinetic friction:

k
.2825
.4137
.8948
.2600
.2903
.42826

Figure Nine-Calculating k shows that when the kinetic friction forces were
similar, so were the values for k. This figure, with values found using Figure
Four-Equations Used, shows that kinetic friction force is dependent on
acceleration and it follows that k is as well.
Conclusion
The objectives for this experiment were met. It was shown that static friction
force is greater than kinetic friction force, that as normal force increases so
do static and kinetic and friction, and k was successfully calculated and
found to be .42826. The results of this experiment were reasonably valid.
One possible source of error that may have affected validity was that
constant velocity was not maintained when attempting to measure kinetic
friction force. Also, from trial to trial, the forces applied did not remain
constant. Error is clearly shown by comparing Figure Eight to Figure Nine; the
values discovered for k should have been the same. Finding the average of
the forces and values found was an attempt to overcome these sources of
error.