ADDIS ABABA COLLEGE OF NATURAL AND

COMPUTUATIONAL SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

PHYSICS LABORATORY REPORT

FRESHMAN YEAR

GROUP MEMBERS ID NUMBER

Ayantu Olani UGR/3265/17
Betelhem Tazebew UGR/8695/17
Fehmitu Endris UGR/9605/17
Kiya Bekele UGR/2217/17
Nardos Abebayehu UGR/1093/17
Section: 8
Date of experiment:Nov 25/2024
Submission Date : Dec02/202 Section: 8
Experiment name; Coefficient of static and kinetic friction
Experiment number; 3

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Objective (aim)
The objective or aim of this experiment is to measure the coefficient of static and kinetic friction
between two surfaces.

Theory
Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of things against each other. It is a non-
conservative force meaning work done against friction is path dependent.
It is found experimentally that the force of friction is directly proportional to the normal force.
The constant of proportionality is called the Coefficient of friction.
Friction is always present even when there is no relative motion. This is called the Static
friction. When a body lies at rest on a surface and an attempt is made to push it, the pushing
push is opposed by a frictional force equal to:
Fs=μsFN
Where Fs is Static frictional force, μs is the coefficient of static friction and FN is the normal
force.
In general, we have
0≤ Fs≤(Fs)max
where Fs is the static friction and its maximum value is given by
(Fs)max =µsFN
For an object in motion, the frictional force is called Kinetic friction. Kinetic friction is present
whenever two surfaces are in motion concerning each other. When the pushing force is greater
than the static force, the body begins to move. If the contacting surfaces are actually sliding one
over the other, the force of friction is given by:
Fk=μkFN
Where Fk is Kinetic frictional force, μk is the coefficient of Kinetic friction.

𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗟𝗦/𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗣𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗨𝗦𝗘𝗗

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 EQUIPMENTS QUANTITY

Wooden block with a hook 1

A plane piece of wood (B) with a grooved wheel at one end 1

Light Spring 1

Standard weights 1 Set

Scale pan 1

Spring balance 1

PROCEDURE
1. The apparatus was arranged in a way that the wooden block is being pulled by the light string
with the set of standard weights hanging on the side of the table.
2.The block (mA) and the scale pan (md) were weighed to be 205.2grams and 25.6 grams
respectively.

3. The scale pan is attached to the hook of the block by a light string passing round the wheel.

4.The initial position of the block was marked with a pencil.

.

I) Coefficient of Static Friction

1. The initial position of the block was marked with a pencil. Then weights were gently added to
the scale pan until the block just begins to slide.

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2.Next the block was returned to its initial position and the reaction force of the wooden block
was increased by placing a known weight on it. Then weights were added to the scale pan until
the block begins to slide again.

3.Step 2 was repeated for two more increasing weights on A. The weights both on the block A
and the scale pan were recorded as the following.

II) Coefficient of kinetic friction

1.A weight was placed on the scale pan, and it was given a slight push toward the wheel.
Increasing weights were added to the scale pan, giving it a slight push each time. At some stage,
the block was found to continue moving with a steady, small velocity.
2. The reaction force of the piece of wood was increased by adding weights to the block. Then,
Step 1 was repeated for two more weights on the block, and the results were recorded as the
following

DATA
Data Table: Data for calculating the coefficient of static friction
trial Mass added on “A” Mass on “D” when Static Friction µs
in gram ”A” just begins to
slide in gram
0 0 70 0.48

1 15 80 0.48

2 30 100 0.53

3 45 130 0.62

Data table: Data for calculating the coefficient of kinetic friction

Trial Mass added on “A” Mass on d when a Kinetic Friction µs
In gram moves with small
constant velocity in
gram
0 0 60 0.41

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 1 15 70 0.43

2 30 80 0.44

3 45 100 0.0.51

Data analysis
Coefficient of static friction
Calculating the normal reaction force, N = (mA +mi)g, where mA is the mass of block A in kg, mi is the
mass added on block A in kg and g is the acceleration due to gravity.

 N= ( mi+ mA) g
 (0+0.2052)9.8=2.011N
 (0.015+0.2052)9.8=2.16N
 (0.03+0.2052)9.8=2.304N
 (0.045+0.2052)9.8=2.45N
Calculating the frictional force, fs = (mD +mi)g , where mD is the mass of the scale pan D, mi is the
mass added on the scale pan D.
 fs = (mD +mi)g
 (0.0256+0.07)9.8=0.94
 (0.0256+0.08)9.8=1.03
 (0.0256+0.1)9.8=1.23N
 (0.0256+0.13)9.8=1.52N

Calculation table
 Normal force N = Frictional force fs =
( mA + mi) g (mD +mi)g
2.011 0.94
2.16 1.03
2.304 1.23
2.45 1.52

Determine the coefficient of static friction (µ ≡ µs) using

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µs = Slope = f/N
 0.94/2.011 = 0.467
 1.03/2.16=0.476
 1.23/2.304=0.534
 1.52/2.45=0.62

Coefficient of kinetic friction

calculate the normal reaction force

N= ( mi +mA) g
(0+0.2052)9.8=2.011N
(0.015+0.2052)9.8=2.16N
(0.03+0.2052)9.8=2.30N
(0.045+0.2052)9.8=2.45N

calculate the frictional force,

fk= (mD +mi)g
 (0.0256+0.06)9.8=0.84N
 (0.0256+0.07)9.8=0.64N
 (0.0256+0.08)9.8=1.03N
 (0.0256+0.1)9.8=1.23N

Calculation Table

Normal force N = (mA+mi)g Frictional force fs=(mD+mi)g

2.011 0.84
2.16 0.94
2.3 1.03
2.45 1.23

μk= Slope= fk/N

 0.84/2.011=0.42
 0.94/2.16=0.435
 1.03/2.3=0.45
 1.23/2.45=0.51

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Sources of errors
Misalignment of the wheel , roughness of the wood ,instrumental error
due to the spring balance reading scale.

CONCLUSION

From the above experiment we can conclude that the coefficient of static friction is generally
bigger than the coefficient of kinetic friction (μs>μk) for the same surfaces, areas and normal
forces. The value of μk was significantly lower than the average and this can be attributed to
experimental errors in giving the block a slight push and observing whether it moved with a
steady small velocity or not it was necessary for the block to move with a steady small velocity
so that it has a constant acceleration, this will produce consistent values for the coefficient of
kinetic friction μk. We have learned from the above experiment that several factors like nature of
the surfaces, normal force, surface area and surface roughness affect the coefficient of static and
kinetic friction.
In general, the objective of the experiment was achieved as the averg coefficients of static and
kinetic friction between wooden block and wood surface were determined as 0.52 and 0.47
respectively.