Student name : Nothabo Magaya

Physics Laboratory: Friction

Objective : Determining static and kinetic co efficient of friction

Industrial and Engineering Chemistry 2020/2021

ABSTRACT
In this experiment ,three different materials were used .Rubber ,steel and wooden objects were
used. These objects were placed on a wooden blocked and was elevated from the ground at an
inclined angle until the objects began to slide. The angle at which the objects slid was noted and was
used to calculate angle of inclination. The same process was repeated for finding coefficient of
kinetic friction. Each object had an average of 3 readings

Contents
ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................................... 1
Materials used and set up ................................................................................................................. 2
Analysis of results .............................................................................................................................. 2
RESULTS FOR STATIC FRICTION COEFFICIENT ................................................................................ 2
ANALYSIS OF RESULTS ................................................................................................................ 3
RESULTS FOR KINETIC FRICTION COEFFICIENT................................................................................ 3
Analysis of results for co efficient of kinetic friction ................................................................... 4
Discussion ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Conclusion......................................................................................................................................... 5
SAMPLE CALCULATIONS AND FORMULAS USED IN DETERMINING VALUES IN TABLES ....................... 5
Materials used and set up

Compass wooden peg metal sherpener eraser (rubber)

Arrangement of apparatus black arrow shows angle measured by

compass used in calculating co-efficicient

friction

 Link for video for experiment

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I3CvTFIatUymt4IkDZxC3kpCyV2XPO80/view?usp=sharing

Analysis of results

RESULTS FOR STATIC FRICTION COEFFICIENT

RUBBER STEEL WOOD

TRIAL ANGLE COEFFICIENT OF TRIAL ANGLE COEFFICIENT TRIAL ANGLE COEFFICIENT

STATIC FRICTION OFFRICTION OF FRICTION

1 59 1.66 1 30 0.577 1 49 1.15

2 59 1.66 2 14 0.249 2 55 1.43

3 47 1.07 3 13 0.231 3 44 0.966

AVERAGE 55 1.43 AVERAGE 19 0.352 AVERAGE 49.3 1.182

ANALYSIS OF RESULTS
Angle of inclination

material Standard deviation Mean squared Uncertainty of mean

deviation
rubber 6.93 5.66 4
steel 9.54 7.79 5.51
wood 5.51 4.50 3.18

Static coefficient of friction

material Standard deviation Mean squared Uncertainty of mean

deviation
rubber 0.341 0.278 0.197
steel 0.195 0.159 0.113
wood 0.234 0.191 0.135

RESULTS FOR KINETIC FRICTION COEFFICIENT

RUBBER STEEL WOOD

TRIAL ANGLE COEFFICIENT OF TRIAL ANGLE COEFFICIENT TRIAL ANGLE COEFFICIENT
STATIC FRICTION OFFRICTION OF FRICTION

1 34 0.675 1 12 0.213 1 34 0.675

2 42 0.900 2 13 0.231 2 39 0.810

3 39 0.810 3 11 0.194 3 44 0.66

AVERAGE 38.3 0.795 AVERAGE 12 0.213 AVERAGE 39 0.715

Analysis of results for co efficient of kinetic friction

Angle of elevation

material Standard deviation Mean squared Uncertainty of mean

deviation
rubber 4.041 3.300 2.33
steel 1 0.816 0.577
wood 5 4.08 2.89

Kinetic friction coefficient

material Standard deviation Mean squared Uncertainty of mean

deviation
rubber 0.113 0.0925 0.0654
steel 0.0185 0.0151 0.0107
wood 0.0826 0.0675 0.0477

Discussion

For kinetic co efficient of friction

When an external force is added , the frictional force will increases to a maximum until the applied
force is larger than the maximum force thus force is added to the direction of motion when inclining
the plane , making the object to accelerate faster .
Conclusion
Co efficient of kinetic friction values are smaller than co efficient of static friction values due to the
slight application of external force ,decreasing angle of inclination at which the object slides on the
wooden block. Values in the kinetic co efficient of friction is as follows

Rubber>wood>steel

SAMPLE CALCULATIONS AND FORMULAS USED IN DETERMINING

VALUES IN TABLES

Standard deviation

= )

rubber

=6.93

Mean squared displacement

= )

rubber

=5.65

Uncertainty of mean

For steel

=2.6

5.51