Activity 10 PS-2826

Teacher Notes Activity 10: Static and Kinetic Friction

Time Estimates Preparation: 20 min Activity: 30 min
O!ectives
Students will be able to
use a Force Sensor to measure the force of static and kinetic friction for different materials.
use the Xlorer !"X to record and dislay the force from the sensor.
use the #rah of force versus time and the $uilt-in analysis tools of the Xlorer !"X to determine the
ma%imum force of friction &static friction' and the force of kinetic &slidin#' friction &avera#e force durin#
slidin#'.
calculate the normal force and the coefficients of static and kinetic friction for the different materials.
Notes
An alternative to sliding the Force Sensor along the top of the track is to place a block under the
sensor so that the string between the sensor and the friction tray is parallel to the track. (The
ME!"#$ %&S Friction 'lock is the right height for this.(
A coefficient of friction is specific to a co)bination of surfaces. For e*a)ple+ the coefficient of
static friction for woodonwood is #., and the coefficient of kinetic friction is #.-. .owever+ for
rubber on dry concrete+
s
is /.# and
k
is #.$. 0n the other hand+ for shoes on ice+
s
is #./ and
k
is #.#,.
1se a rubber band and a heavy block to de)onstrate static friction. 2onnect the rubber band to
the block in such a way that you can drag the block across a hori3ontal surface by pulling the
rubber band. Start the de)onstration with so)e slack in the
rubber band. .ave students observe the rubber band as you
begin to pull the block. They should notice that the rubber
band beco)es taut and then stretches a little bit before the
block )oves.
Encourage the students to practice before they start recording data. Also+ encourage the) to
repeat a data run if they feel it does not 4look right5.
(ntroductory Physics )ith the Xlorer !"X * 2006 PASCO . +,
Activity 10 -eacher .otes/ Static and 0inetic Friction PS-2826
Samp"e #ata
The screenshots show the 6raph displays of force data for the felt friction tray and for the cork
friction tray+ the Table displays for nor)al force+ static friction+ and kinetic friction+ and the
6raph displays of static and kinetic friction versus nor)al force.
$%n 1& 'e"t& static 'riction $%n 1& 'e"t& (inetic 'riction
Ta"e& 'e"t Ta"e& cor(
Fe"t& coe''icient o' static 'riction )or(& coe''icient o' static 'riction
Fe"t& coe''icient o' (inetic 'riction )or(& coe''icient o' (inetic 'riction
(ntroductory Physics )ith the Xlorer !"X * 2006 PASCO . +6
Activity 10 -eacher .otes/ Static and 0inetic Friction PS-2826
*a $eport Activity 10: Static and Kinetic Friction
Answers and Sample Data
Prediction
/. 7hen co)paring a felt surface to a cork surface+ which )aterial will have the higher value
for its coefficient of kinetic friction8
The cork surface will have the higher value for its coefficient of kinetic friction.
9. .ow does the nor)al force acting on an ob:ect affect the force of friction8
As the normal force increases, the force of friction increases.
#ata
Sketch a graph for one run of force versus ti)e data. %nclude units and labels for your a*es. (See
Sample Data.)
#ata Ta"e 1
+tem Mass (kg) Normal Force (N) Fs (N) static friction Fk (N) kinetic friction
Felt &0.2 k# added' 0.284 2.78 0.69 0.49
Felt &0.1 k# added' 0.484 4.74 0.90 0.76
Felt &0.6 k# added' 0.685 6.71 1.44 1.08
+tem Mass (kg) Normal Force (N) Fs (N) static friction Fk (N) kinetic friction
2ork &0.2 k# added' 0.294 2.83 1.11 0.90
2ork &0.1 k# added' 0.493 4.83 1.85 1.50
2ork &0.6 k# added' 0.694 6.80 2.77 2.29
)a"c%"ations
1se your data for the )ass of the friction tray to calculate the nor)al force for each run.
(Normal Force 3 FN = mg where g ; 9.8 N/kg(
#ata Ta"e 2
Enter your values for <=or)al Force>+ <static friction>+ and <kinetic friction> into the 6?@ Table.
1se the graph of static friction versus nor)al force to deter)ine the coefficient of static friction+
s. 1se the graph of kinetic friction versus nor)al force to deter)ine the coefficient of kinetic
friction+
k
.
+tem s k
Felt 0.191 0.150
2ork 0.424 0.355
(ntroductory Physics )ith the Xlorer !"X * 2006 PASCO . +4
Activity 10 -eacher .otes/ Static and 0inetic Friction PS-2826
,%estions
/. 7hat is the physical Auantity represented by the ratio of friction force to nor)al force8
The coefficient of friction is the physical quantity represented y the ratio of friction force to
normal force.
9. 7hat pattern do you notice about the values for the coefficients of friction8
The value of static friction for oth surfaces is higher than the value of kinetic (sliding) friction
for oth surfaces.
-. 7hat happens to the static friction force as the )ass is increased8 7hy does this happen8
As the mass increases, the static friction increases. This is ecause the normal force increases as
the mass increases.
B. 7hat happens to the kinetic friction force as the )ass is increased8 7hy does this happen8
As the mass increases, the kinetic friction increases. This is also ecause the normal force
increases as the mass increases.
,. 7hat are the units for the coefficient of friction8 E*plain.
The coefficient of friction is a unit!less numer ecause it is the ratio of two forces (so the units
cancel).
C. Think about your e*perience with the friction trays. 7hen a car skids to a stop (with
wheels 4locked5(+ which friction force is at work8 .ow do you know8
The friction when a car skids to a stop is kinetic friction. This is the kind of friction etween
surfaces that are sliding over one another (such as car tires sliding over the road surface).
$. &o your results support your predictions8
Answers will vary.
(ntroductory Physics )ith the Xlorer !"X * 2006 PASCO . +8