Mechanics and Properties of Matters

(PHY 111)

Friction, Statics and Equilibrium

by

Dr. T.A. Adagunodo

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 1

 Friction
• Friction is a resistive force which acts at
the surface of separation of two bodies
in contact and tends to oppose the
motion of one over the other.
• Thus, it is more appropriate to talk of
friction between two surfaces rather
than friction of a surface.

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 2

 Laws of Friction
• The extensive work of Leonard Da Vinci
(1452 – 1519) and Charles Coulomb (1736 –
1806) yielded the following laws of friction.
• Frictional forces between two surfaces:
i. Is independent on the area of the surface
in contact.
ii. Opposes motion between the surfaces.
iii. Depends on the nature of the surfaces.
iv. Is independent of relative velocity
between the surface. ?
v. Is proportional to normal reaction.
T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 3
• The last law may be expressed in a single
equation as:
Fr = µN
where µ is a constant called the
coefficient of friction.

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 4

 Static and Dynamic Friction
• Static or limiting frictional force is the type
when the body is just about to move over
another surface. Thus, if FS represents the
static frictional force, then,
FS = µSN
• Suppose a body is sliding over another
with uniform velocity, the frictional force
called into play is called dynamic frictional
force, Fd , given by:
Fd = µdN
T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 5
• Note, experiment had shown that FS is
always greater than Fd for a given surface
and normal reaction. Therefore, µS is
always greater than µd.

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 6

 Angle of Friction
• Angle of friction is defined as the angle
which the resultant (total reaction) makes
with the normal reaction, if the normal
reaction, N and the frictional force Fr is
compounded into a single force.

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 7

• Based on the figure, the resultant of Fr and
N is given as R and this is inclined at an
angle θ to N.
Then,
tan θ = Fr / N = Fr / W = µS
• Hence, θ is the angle of friction.

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 8

 Determination of µ using an inclined plane
• When the angle of inclination θ is small,
object (Q) on the inclined surface will not
move. However, as the angle of inclination
of the plane is gradually increased, it is
found that the object Q eventually start to
move.

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 9

i. At this limiting equilibrium stage, if we
resolve along the plane,
mg Sin θ = Fr = µN,
and by resolving perpendicularly,
mg Cos θ = N
i. By dividing the two equations, we have
tan θ = µ

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 10

 Example 1
• A metal box of weight 100 N is pulled on a
horizontal rough surface with a force of
300 N applied horizontally. Determine the
coefficient of static friction, if the force is
just sufficient to cause the box moving.
Find also the coefficient of kinetic friction
if a force of 100 N can now keep the box
moving with constant speed.

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 11

 Solution 1

• The total forces acting along the vertical plane,

ΣFy = N – W = 0
ΣFy = N – (100 + 300) = 0
Therefore, N = 400 N
• The total forces acting along the horizontal plane,
ΣFx = Horizontal force – static frictional force
ΣFx = 300 – FS = 0
FS = 300 N
• From FS = µSN,
µS = 300/400 = 0.75
T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 12
• After the box is moving, we now have
• The total forces acting along the vertical plane,
ΣFy = N – W = 0
ΣFy = N – (100 + 300) = 0
Therefore, N = 400 N
• The total forces acting along the horizontal plane,
ΣFx = Horizontal force – dynamic/kinetic frictional
force
ΣFx = 100 – FK = 0
FK = 100 N, FK = µKN when motion occurs
• From FK = µKN,
µK = 100/400 = 0.25
T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 13
 Example 2
• Determine the magnitude of the minimum
horizontal force required to maintain a box
of weight 20 N when placed on a rough
plane inclined at 30o above the horizontal
(µ = 0.2).

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 14

 Solution 2
• Let the horizontal force P act to maintain
equilibrium.
• For the force applied to be minimum, the
frictional force must act upward as shown:

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 15

• For motion that is parallel to the plane, we
have;
P Cos 30o + Fr – 20 Sin 30o = 0
Fr = 10 – 0.866 P
• For the motion that is perpendicular to the
plane, we have;
N – P Sin 30o – 20 Cos 30o = 0
N = 0.5 P + 17.32
• From Fr = µN
10 – 0.86 P = 0.2 (0.5 P + 17.32)
0.966 P = 13.464, where P = 13.9 N
• So, the minimum horizontal force required is
13.9 N. T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 16
 Statics Which law does it resemble?

• A body is at rest or in a state of uniform

motion if no resultant force acts on it. The
body is then said to be in equilibrium. We
will deal here with the case of bodies at
rest, the physics of which is known as
Statics.

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 17

 Moment of a force

• The moment of a force about a given point is

the product of the force and the perpendicular
drawn from the given point to the line of action
of the force.
• Moment is otherwise known as Torque or
simply “Turning Effect” as denoted by:
τ=Fxd (Nm)
• The turning power is increased as F is increased
or the perpendicular distance does.
T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 18
 Note:
• The moment is a positive quantity if the force
tends to produce a counter-clockwise angular
acceleration about the axis, and negative if
the force tends to produce a clockwise
acceleration.
• When a number of forces are acting on a
body, the algebraic sum of their moments is
obtained by giving the value of the moment of
each force its proper sign and adding them
together.
• Moment is a vector quantity.
T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 19
 Couples
• A couple is said to exist when two anti
parallel forces whose lines of action do not
coincide act on a body.
• The figure above is a couple arrangement
where the two forces each of magnitude F
are separated by a perpendicular distance
AB.
• In this couple, net force = F – F = O
• Hence, there is no translational motion of
the body on which it acts.
T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 20
• Net Torque = (F x OB) – (F x OA)
= F (OB – OA)
= F x AB
Note:
i. This net torque is independent of the
position of O and it is the same about all
points in the plane containing the forces.
ii. The net torque on a couple is equal to the
product of the magnitude of “either force”
and the perpendicular distance between
their lines of action.
T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 21
 Examples of Couple
i. Forces in the driver’s hands applied to a
steering wheel.
ii. Forces in the hand of someone turning
a tap.
iii. The forces experienced by two sides of
a suspended rectangular coil carrying a
current in a magnetic field.

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 22

 Example 3
• Two equal forces each of magnitude 10 N
act on a beam oppositely at the ends of
the beam. Calculate the moment of the
couple if the separation between the
forces is 40 cm.
Solution

• Moment of couple = torque = 10 x 0.4

= 4 Nm
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 Example 4
• Two forces act on a beam as shown in the
figure. Determine the resultant torque
about point O.

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 24

Solution 4
• F2 can be resolved into F2 Cos 60o along x-
axis and taking moment about O.
Taking moment about O,
• Horizontally, Tx = 0, and
• Vertically, Ty = ((10 Cos 60) x 6) – ((10 Sin
60) x 1) = (5 x 6) – (8.660)
Ty = 21.34 Nm
• Hence, the resultant torque
is 21.34 Nm clockwise.
T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 25
 Equilibrium
• A particle will be in equilibrium if there is
no resultant force or couple acting on it.
The equilibrium is static if the particle’s
velocity is Zero and dynamic if it is not.

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 26

• The conditions for Equilibrium and
Application

• Fig. (a) is not in equilibrium because it is

not in rotational equilibrium, though it is
in translational equilibrium,
• Fig. (b) is in rotational equilibrium but not
in translational equilibrium since F1 ≠ F2,
• Fig. (c) is in translational and rotational
equilibrium.
T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 27
• A rigid body is said to be in equilibrium if it
is in;
• Translational equilibrium, and
• Rotational equilibrium

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 28

 Translational Equilibrium
• A rigid body is in translational equilibrium
if its translational acceleration is zero.
• That is, the net force applied to the body is
zero, since F = ma
• In component form, ΣFx = 0 and ΣFy = 0

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 29

• Consider the figure below. By applying the
horizontal and vertical component form,
we have;

• ΣFx = 0 or F1 – F2 = 0, while
• ΣFy = 0 or N – W = 0

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 30

• Note: In applying these conditions, the
signs of the Cartesian plane are used, that
is, forces along positive x and y axes are
assigned positive signs, while those from
the negative x and y axes are assigned
negative signs.

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 31

 Rotational Equilibrium
• A rigid body is in rotational equilibrium if
its angular acceleration is zero, that is, the
sum of the positive torques is balanced by
the sum of the negative torques.
Therefore, the net torque is zero.
Στ = 0
• Hence, for a body to be in equilibrium,
ΣFx = 0, ΣFy = 0 and Στ = 0

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 32

 Assignment
• A rigid rod AB length 2.8 m of negligible
mass is acted upon by a force of 20 N at
end A. If the rod is pivoted at 1.2 m from
end A, find the value of the force at B such
that the rod is in equilibrium and the
reaction at the pivot.

T.A. Adagunodo @ Physics, CU 33