Table of content

Title 2
Aim/ Objective 3
Apparatus 4
Diagram 5
Theory 6
Procedure 7
Results 8
Calculations 9-14
Treatment of result 15-17
Discussion 18
Conclusion 19
Reference 20

1
Title: Friction on an incline plane

2
Aim/ objectives:
a. To determine the value of the coefficient of friction between a slider and a plane.
b. To compare the force necessary to move a body up an inclined plane with the theoretical
value calculated using the value of the coefficient of friction found in part (a)

3
Apparatus
Friction plane with protractor and pulley, wooden/ metal slider, digital protractor, triple beam
balance (or electrical balance), weights, weight hanger, cord.

4
Diagram
DIAGRAM SHOWING APPARATUS SETUP

5
Theory
Friction is a force that resists motion of sliding or rolling of one object moving relative to another
(Tiwari, 2019). The force of friction opposes the motion of an object, causing moving objects to
lose energy and slow down. Examples of friction include tires skidding to a stop on a road,
sandpaper rubbing against wood, air pushing against the nose of an airplane.
If we neglect friction between the body and the plane - the force required to move the body up an
inclined plane can be calculated as

Fp = W h / l

    = W sin α

    = m ag sin α                            (1)

where

Fp = pulling force (N, lbf)

W = m ag 

    =  gravity force - or weight of body (N, lbf)

h = elevation (m, ft)

l = length (m, ft)

α = elevation angle (degrees)

m = mass of body (kg, slugs)

ag = acceleration of gravity  (9.81 m/s2, 32.174 ft/s2)

By adding friction - (1) can be modified to

Fp = W (sin α + μ cos α) 

    = m ag (sin α + μ cos α)                           

Where

μ = friction coefficient

6
Procedure
1. The slider was weighed on the beam balance.
2. The slider was placed on the horizontal plane and its starting position was noted.
3. The weight was placed on the slider and weights were added to the load hanger until the
slider began to move.
4. Another weight was added to the slider and the procedure was repeated.
5. The four sets of readings were used to plot a graph of effort (P) against load (W).

7
Results
Weight of the slider = 1.294N
Weight of load hanger= 0.229N
Contacting surfaces = Aluminum and wood
Coefficient of static friction, µ (from graph) =
TABLE SHOWING RESULTS OBTAINED FROM EXPERIMENT
Angle of Actual Load, W Actual Effort, P Ideal Effort, Pi Normal, N (N)
Inclination, θ (°) (N) (N) (N)
0° 1.72 0.64 4.13 1.72
1.41 0.54 3.38 1.41

1.21 0.64 2.90 1.21

0.9 0.43 2.16 0.9

10° 1.61 1.09 3.86 1.58

1.41 0.94 3.38 1.38

0.9 0.74 2.16 0.88

15° 0.9 1.02 2.16 0.87
1.1 1.25 2.64 1.07

1.41 1.12 3.38 1.37

20° 0.9 1.25 2.16 0.85

1.41 1.45 3.38 1.33

1.61 1.76 3.86 1.51

Calculations

8
For angle of inclination at 0°
1. When W = 172g
Convert to kg = 0.172
Using equation w= m×g
= 0.172 ×10 = 1.72N

2. When W = 141g
Convert to kg = 0.141
Using equation w= m×g
= 0.141 ×10 = 1.41N

3. When W = 121g
Convert to kg = 0.121
Using equation w= m×g
= 0.121 ×10 = 1.21N

4. When W= 90g
Convert to kg = 0.09
Using equation w= m×g
= 0.09 ×10= 0.9N

For angle of inclination at 10°

1. When W = 161g
Convert to kg = 0.161
Using equation w= m×g
= 0.161 ×10 = 1.61N

2. When W = 141g
Convert to kg = 0.141
Using equation w= m×g
= 0.141 ×10 = 1.41N

3. When W = 90g
Convert to kg = 0.09
Using equation w= m×g
= 0.09 ×10 = 0.9N

For angle of inclination at 15°

9
 1. When W = 90g
Convert to kg = 0.9
Using equation w= m×g
= 0.09 ×10 = 0.9N

2. When W = 110g
Convert to kg = 0.11
Using equation w= m×g
= 0.11 ×10 = 1.1N

3. When W = 141g
Convert to kg = 0.141
Using equation w= m×g
= 0.141 ×10 = 1.41N

For angle of inclination at 20°

1. When W = 90g
Convert to kg = 0.09
Using equation w= m×g
= 0.09 ×10 = 0.9N

2. When W = 141g
Convert to kg = 0.141
Using equation w= m×g
= 0.172 ×10 = 1.72N

3. When W = 161g
Convert to kg = 0.161
Using equation w= m×g
= 0.161 ×10 = 1.61N

For actual effort, P

When angle of inclination is 0°
63.8
1. P = × 10 = 0.64
1000
54
2. P = × 10 = 0.54
1000

10
 64
3. P = × 10 = 0.64
1000

When angle of inclination = 10°

109
1. P = × 10 = 1.09
1000
94
2. P = × 10 = 0.94
1000
74
3. P = × 10 = 0.74
1000

When angle of inclination is 15°

102
1. P = × 10 = 1.02
1000
125
2. P = × 10 = 1.25
1000
112
3. P = × 10 = 1.12
1000

When angle of inclination is 20°

125
1. P = × 10 = 1.25
1000
145.4
2. P = × 10 = 1.45
1000
176
3. P = × 10 = 1.76
1000

For ideal effort

Using equation Pi= W (sin θ + µ cos θ)
Using coefficient of friction on aluminum = 1.4

For angle of inclination 0°

1. 1.72 (sin 0 + 1.4 cos 0)
1.72 (0 + 2.4)
1.72 2.4) = 4.13

11
 2. 1.41 (sin 0 + 1.4 cos 0)
1.41 (0 + 2.4)
1.41 (2.4) = 3.38

3. 1.21 (sin 0 + 1.4 cos 0)

1.21 (0 + 2.4)
1.21 (2.4) = 2.90
4. 0.9 (sin 0 + 1.4 cos 0)
0.9 (0 + 2.4)
0.9 (2.4) = 2.16

For angle of inclination at 10°

1. 1.61 (sin 10 + 1.4 cos 0)
1.61 (0.17 + 2.4)
1.61 (2.5) = 4.03
2. 1.41 (sin 10 + 1.4 cos 0)
1.41 (0.17 + 2.4)
1.41 (2.5) = 3.91

3. 0.9 (sin 0 + 1.4 cos 0)

0.9 (0.17 + 2.4)
0.9 (2.5) = 2.25

For angle of inclination at 15°

1. 0.9 (sin 15 + 1.4 cos 0)
0.9 (0.25 + 2.4)
0.9 (2.65) = 2.38

2. 1.10 (sin 15 + 1.4 cos 0)

1.10(0.25+ 2.4)

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 1.10 (2.65) = 2.92

1.41 (sin 15 + 1.4 cos 0)

1.41 (0.25 + 2.4)
1.41 (2.65) = 3.02
For angle of inclination at 20

1. 0.9 (sin 20 + 1.4 cos 0)

0.9 (0.34 + 1.4 cos 0)
0.9 (0.34 + 2.4)
0.9 (2.74) = 2.47

2. 1.41 (sin 20 + 1.4 cos 0)

1.41 (0.34 + 1.4 cos 0)
1.41 (0.34 + 2.4)
1.41 (2.74) = 3.86

3. 1.61 (sin 20 + 1.4 cos 0)

1.61 (0.34 + 1.4 cos 0)
1.61 (0.34 + 2.4)
1.61 (2.74) = 4.41

Normal
Using equation W cos θ
Since cos 0 = 1
1. 1.72 × 1 = 1.72
2. 1.41 × 1 = 1.41
3. 1.21 × 1 = 1.21

Since cos 10 = 0.98

1. 1.61 × 0.98 = 1.58
2. 1.41 × 0.98 = 1.38
3. 0.9 × 0.98 = 0.88

13
Since cos 15 = 0.97
1. 0.9 × 0.97 = 0.87
2. 1.10 × 0.97 = 1.07
3. 1.41 × 0.97 = 1.37

Since cos 20 = 0.94

1. 0.9 × 0.94 = 0.85
2. 1.41 × 0.94 = 1.33
3. 1.61 × 0.94 = 1.51

14
Treatment of results
Since gradient is equal to coefficient of friction
At 0°
y 2− y 1
Gradient =
x 2−x 1
0.61−0.25 0.36
= = = 0.3
1.5−0.3 1.2
At 10°
0.94−0.47 0.47
= = 0.5
1.3−0.36 0.94
At 15°
1.16−0.3 0.86
= =1
1.06−0.2 0.86
At 20°
1.72−0. 86 0.86
= = 0.76
1.5 2−0. 4 1.12

Calculation for theoretical value for ideal effort

At 0° µ = 0.3
Pi= W (sin θ + µ cos θ)
1. 1.72 (sin 0 + 0.3 × cos 0)
1.72 (0 + 0.3 × 1)
1.72 (0.3) = 0.52

2. 1.41 (sin 0 + 0.3 × cos 0)

1.41 (0 + 0.3 × 1)
1.41 (0.3) = 0.42

3. 1.21 (sin 0 + 0.3 × cos 0)

1.21 (0 + 0.3 × 1)
15
 1.21 (0.3) = 0.36

4. 0.9 (sin 0 + 0.3 × cos 0)

0.9 (0 + 0.3 × 1)
0.9 (0.3) = 0.27

At 10°
µ = 0.5
1. 1.61 (sin 10 + 0.5 × cos 10)
1.61 (0.17 + 0.5 × 0.98)
1.61 (0.66) = 1.07

2. 1.41 (sin 10 + 0.5 × cos 10)

1.41 (0.17 + 0.5 × 0.98)
1.41 (0.66) = 0.93

3. 0.9 (sin 10 + 0.5 × cos 10)

0.9 (0.17 + 0.5 × 0.98)
0.9 (0.66) = 0.59

At 15°
µ=1
1. 0.9 (sin 15 + 1 × cos 15)
0.9 (0.25 + 1 × 0.97)
0.9 (1.22) = 1.09

2. 1.1 (sin 15 + 1 × cos 15)

1.1 (0.25 + 1 × 0.97)
1.1 (1.22) = 1.34

3. 1.41 (sin 15 + 1 × cos 15)

1.41 (0.25 + 1 × 0.97)
1.41 (1.22) = 1.72

At 20°
µ = 0.76

16
1. 0.9 (sin 20 + 0.76 × cos 20)
0.9 (0.34 + 0.76 × 0.93)
0.9 (1.05) = 0.95

2. 1.41 (sin 20 + 0.76 × cos 20)

1.41 (0.34 + 0.76 × 0.93)
1.41 (1.05) = 1.48

3. 1.61 (sin 20 + 0.76 × cos 20)

1.61 (0.34 + 0.76 × 0.93)
1.61 (1.05) = 1.69

17
Discussion
The graphs plotted are proportional graphs. As observed in the graphs as the angle of inclination
increases, the coefficient of static friction also increases. The lesser the load that was added the
higher the incline. The higher the incline the greater the force required to move the slider. This
can also be observed on the graph in terms of the steepness. The experimental values were close
to the true value or accepted value therefore they were precise but not accurate. This is due to
errors which occurred in the experiment. At angles 0 and 10 degrees, the actual effort (P)
required to move the hanger got less when the actual load was varied. At angles 15 and 20
degrees, the actual effort needed to move the hanger increased since the actual load varied.
Therefore, it is safe to say that as the angle of inclination increased, the actual effort also
increased (proportional relationship). A practical situation of this experiment is moving a heavy
body across the floor. It would require more effort to overcome friction. As long as the angle is
sufficiently small the body will remain at rest on an inclined plane. Some precautions to take
during this experiment is to ensure that the inclined plane is placed on a horizontal surface
pulley, pulley must be frictionless, weight should suspend freely without touching the table or
other objects. Sources of error include zero error in measuring instrument and weights not being
standardized which are both systematic errors. Zero error can be corrected by calibrating
instrument.

18
Conclusion
It can be concluded that as the coefficient f friction increases, the angle of inclination also
increases.

19
Reference

Tiwari. (2019). Friction and its effects: Videos, concepts, types and examples. Friction and It’s
Effects. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from
https://www.toppr.com/guides/physics/friction/friction-and-its-effects/

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