Engineering Science

Worksheets
FRICTION AND INCLINED
PLANE KIT ES8
4. ANGLE OF FRICTION

Name

Date

Course/Year/Group

© TecQuipment Ltd 2012

Do not reproduce or transmit this document in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy,
recording or any information storage and retrieval system
without the express permission of TecQuipment Limited.
TecQuipment allows you to print and photocopy this
document only for use with the Engineering Science Kits.

DB/1012

Workbook Page 1 of 6
Blank Page for Notes ES8 Worksheet

Blank Page for Notes

Workbook Page 2 of 6
Angle of Friction ES8 Worksheet

Angle of Friction
Aims
To investigate the theory that predicts kinetic frictional forces from the angle of the plane.

Experiment Setup
As shown in Figure 1, fix the parts to the Work Panel.

Figure 1 Experiment Setup

6 Workbook Page 3 of 6
Angle of Friction ES8 Worksheet

Experiment Procedure

NOTE This procedure only tests kinetic friction.

1. Set the plane at an angle of 0 degrees. Make sure the plane is bare metal.

2. Attach the Metal Friction Plate under the Sled, to give a metal-metal surface.

3. Put the empty Sled on the Plane to the far right.

4. Slowly tilt the plane in steps of 2.5 degrees. At each step, recheck the tightness of your fixings and give
the Sled a little push or tap the Work Panel, to break the static friction until the Sled slides smoothly all
the way down the plane.

5. Repeat this test a few more times until the angle that makes the Sled slide is consistent. Record the
angle.

6. Repeat the experiment with the Wood Friction Plate and the Wooden Plane Surface, giving a Wood-
wood surface. Then repeat with the Plastic Friction Plate and the Plastic Plane Surface, giving a Plastic-
plastic surface.

7. Finally, repeat with the Metal Friction Plate and the Rubber Plane Surface, giving a Metal to Rubber
surface.

Surfaces Angle θ Tan θ

Metal to metal

Wood to wood

Plastic to Plastic

Metal to Rubber

Table 1 Blank Results Table

Questions and Conclusions

Do your answers compare well with the typical values shown in the Guidance Notes, and those from the
other kinetic tests with this kit? If not, can you explain the difference?

Why do you think this test can only work well for kinetic friction tests?

Why does it not matter about the weights in the Sled for this test? Hint - think about how W affects F and
Rn.

Workbook Page 4 of 6
Notes ES8 Worksheet

Notes

6 Workbook Page 5 of 6
Notes ES8 Worksheet

Workbook Page 6 of 6