Ciara Stynes A00261787 B.Eng. Mech. & Polymer Year 1 Grp.

2
Friction 2(a) + 2(b)

Athlone Institute of Technology

Inustitiúid Teicneolaíochta Bhaile Átha Luain

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor of Engineering in Polymer & Mechanical Engineering

Year 1 Group 2 2018/2019
Mechanics
Continuous Assessment

Student Name Ciara Stynes

Student Number A00261787

Date Title
29/01/019 Friction 2(a) + 2(b)
Ciara Stynes A00261787 B.Eng. Mech. & Polymer Year 1 Grp.2
Friction 2(a) + 2(b)

Contents
Title........................................................................................................................................................1
Objectives..............................................................................................................................................1
Apparatus..............................................................................................................................................1
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................1
Experimental Procedure........................................................................................................................1
Results...................................................................................................................................................1
Conclusions............................................................................................................................................1
Ciara Stynes A00261787 B.Eng. Mech. & Polymer Year 1 Grp.2
Friction 2(a) + 2(b)

Friction 2(a) + 2(b)

Objectives
2(a) To demonstrate that friction is independent of area of contact.

2(b) To confirm the coefficient of friction value by means of angle of repose.

Apparatus
 Sliders (wood with different surface area)
 String
 Various slotted masses
 Pulley
 Adjustable inclined plane

Introduction
“Friction is the resisting force which always acts when one surface slides or tends to slide over
another. Frictional force always acts to oppose motion.” (O'Callaghan, 2017) 

(O'Callagh
an, 2017) 

The coefficient of friction is the measure of how much friction exists between two surfaces. A low
friction constant indicated that it requires less force to move the object and a high friction constant
requires more force.  

Friction force (F) ∝ to Normal reaction (Rn) 

 
F
μ (Coefficient of friction) =
Rn
  

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Ciara Stynes A00261787 B.Eng. Mech. & Polymer Year 1 Grp.2
Friction 2(a) + 2(b)

 “Limiting friction is the maximum frictional force that can arise before an object begins to
slide” (O'Callaghan, 2017).

2(a) Calculations theory

F=μ N
F=mg sin θ
N=mgcos θ
Therefore μ mg cos θ=mg sinθ
μ=tan θ
Therefore if we measure θ at slip point we can find θ

Experimental Procedure

2(a)

 The end of the apparatus was positioned on the edge of the table. 
 A slider was placed on to the apparatus at a specific point. 
 A string was placed on the end of the slider and through the pulley. 
 A newton weight was placed onto the slider. 
 A slotted mass hanger was placed onto the end of the sting. 
 Masses were then added to the hanger until the slider began to move. At this point it
reached its limiting friction. 
 The newton weight on the slider and the applied force were then noted. 
 This was then repeated using different newton weights. 

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Ciara Stynes A00261787 B.Eng. Mech. & Polymer Year 1 Grp.2
Friction 2(a) + 2(b)

 At the limiting friction the friction force = the applied force. 

 On a level plane the normal reactive force = the weight. 
 The friction force was then plotted against the normal reactive force. 

 As  the slope of the graph is the coefficient of friction. 

 The experiment was then repeated using a different surface areas of the same material.
 The results from the experiment was then plotted on the same graph and the slope
calculated.
2(b)
 A slider was placed onto the inclined plane.
 The inclined plane angle was then increased until the static friction was overcome and the
slider moved.

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Ciara Stynes A00261787 B.Eng. Mech. & Polymer Year 1 Grp.2
Friction 2(a) + 2(b)

Results
2(a)

Larger area

W (kg) 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3

Rn (N) 4.905 9.81 14.715 19.62 24.525 29.43
F (N) 1.0791 1.962 2.4525 2.943 3.925 4.2183
Smaller area

W(kg) 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3

Rn (N) 4.905 9.81 14.715 19.62 24.525 29.43
F (N) 1.1772 1.962 3.1392 3.4335 3.7278 4.1202

4.5
0.118285714285714 x + 0.555766666666667
f(x) = 0.128588903451289 0.89598
4

3.5

2.5

1.5

0.5

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Larger Area Linear (Larger Area) Smaller Area

Linear (Smaller Area) Linear (Smaller Area)

Coefficient of friction

Larger Area = 0.1286

Smaller Area = 0.1183

2(b)

Angle of repose = 11

Coefficient of friction = 0.1944

Conclusions
Friction is the force that opposes the motion of a body. There are two different types of friction,
kinetic and static, where static friction is greater than kinetic friction. Static friction is the friction that

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Ciara Stynes A00261787 B.Eng. Mech. & Polymer Year 1 Grp.2
Friction 2(a) + 2(b)

exist between a stationary object and the surface it is on and kinetic friction is the friction between
two objects moving relative to each other (Wood, 2019). 
Limiting friction is the friction that exist between two objects when the friction force equals the
applied force. This causes the object to move with a steady velocity and is the bases of this
experiment.

The difference be coefficient of friction of the larger and smaller area is minimal and shows that the
surface area of contact is independent of coefficient of friction.

The coefficient of 2(b) has a slightly larger coefficient friction but this may be due to an inaccuracy in
the results.

Errors may be due to:

o The surfaces of the slider and plane may not have been completely clean. 
o The pen marks on the plane may have sked the results. 
o The applied mass may have been applied from a small height, changing the applied force.  
o Any bumps or movement of the table would change the applied force required. 
o Non-uniformity of the block surface. 

References
 Lab Notes
 Wood, D. (2019). Static Friction: Definition, Formula & Examples - Video & Lesson Transcript
| Study.com. [online] Study.com. Available at: https://study.com/academy/lesson/static-
friction-definition-formula-examples.html [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].

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