Physics and chemistry

Lucia Ruiz Carro

03-02-2022
4ºESO F

Forces Project

Objective
- I am going to investigate the relationship between the support surface of a milk brick and
the force that is needed to move it, then I’m going to solve using the formulas gotten for
the friction force and the coefficient of friction and to sum up I´m going to reach to sum
conclusion by analyzing my results.
- This is being done because I observe that force needed to move an object depends on the
amount of surface of the object in contact with the surface in this case the table. I
observe that for example it is not the same to move some furniture sideways or laid down
one of them is harder even though in both cases the weight is the same.

Variables
VARIABLE   NAME MANIPULATE MEASURE CONTROL 
INDEPENDENT   Surface of the recipe This variable is going We can see by eye I control this variable
to be manipulated by that the sizes on the by putting by myself
myself when making recipe are completely one surface or other
the tries as my milk different but to but when making the
recipe has three sure I’m going to tries, this is going to
different surfaces measure the lengths be controlled in the
and I’m going to of the sides of each notes taken in the
measure three times surface. notebook.
with each.
DEPENDENT   Coefficient of friction This variable is not Is measured with the I control this by
after applying formulas manipulated by my, dynamometer, the taking care to be
when getting the Force it changes when the hook is plugged to précised in the
(N) independent variable the recipe and force is measurements and
is changed. This is applied to it until it also by repeating
measured. moves, when this everything three
happens what its times. After y repeat
marked on the the calculations and I
newtons scale is the do them with the
force applied. After calculator to make
the coefficient is sure there is no error.
measured by applying
formulas to find the
friction force and
after the coefficient of
friction.
CONSTANT   Surface inclination Not going to be This variable is not Surface inclination:
manipulated states going to be the inclination of the
contact throughout measured. table in which we are
the whole making the
experiment experiment will
always be parallel to
the floor.
Physics and chemistry
Lucia Ruiz Carro
03-02-2022
4ºESO F

Object weight Object weight: the

amount of water that
is the added weight is
not going to be
changed and neither
the type of bottle.

Surface of the table Surface of the table:

the table in which we
are making the
experiment will
always be the same

o The independent variable is going to be changed by myself. There will be three

possible recipe surfaces, 1st front/back 2nd laterals 3rd top/bottom and I will make
three times the experiment with each, this means I will measure the force three
time with each surface.
o To get the result I want I will measure with the dynamometer the force needed to
move the object in each surface, then I will use some formulas to find the friction
force and to finish up with the results gotten I will use other formula to get the
coefficient of friction that is what I’m looking for.

Hypothesis.
If there is more surface of the object in contact with the surface of the table then more force is
necessary to move the object because the friction created is higher.

Materials, method & safety measures:

Materials:
- Milk recipe
- Water
- Paper
- Pen
- Scale
- Dynamometer
- Phone

Method:
1. Take out the milk from its recipe
2. Fill until the middle the brick recipe with water
Physics and chemistry
Lucia Ruiz Carro
03-02-2022
4ºESO F

3. Start writing the results on the paper

4. Weight in the scale the recipe and the water together
5. Take the dynamometer
6. Choose one side and pull with the dynamometer
7. Repeat with the three sides
8. Calculate the friction force
9. Calculate the coefficient
10. Complete the report

Safety measures:
1. Be careful when pulling the object that it does not fly away
2. That the dynamometer does not fall because it is made of glass and fragile and can break

Results
a. Results obtained

AVERAGE (NEWTONS) COEFFICIENT OF

SIDES (SURFACE) F(NEWTONS) FRICTION
F1- 0.8N
SIDE 1 F2- 0.75N 0.8N 0.134
(FRONT/BACK) F3- 0.83N
F1- 0.68N
SIDE 2 F2- 0.69N 0.7N 0.117
(SIDES) F3- 0.73N
F1- 0.47N
SIDE 3 F2- 0.43N 0.45N 0.075
(TOP/BOTON) F3- 0.45N

b. Represent graphically (bar graph)

Physics and chemistry
Lucia Ruiz Carro
03-02-2022
4ºESO F
Physics and chemistry
Lucia Ruiz Carro
03-02-2022
4ºESO F

Conclusion

Observing the results obtained in the experiment, I can analyze a clear relationship between the
variables, the support surface of the object used in my case, the milk carton, and the force
necessary to move the same object measured with the dynamometer. We can determine that the
more surface supported, the more force is necessary, this is because the more surface of an object
is in contact with the surface on which it moves, the greater friction will be created and therefore
the more force will be necessary when moving it as the force needed to move an abject is the
same as the friction force created by this object.

The method used during the procedure has been correct step by step, although when carrying out
the experiment it wasn’t clear what I was doing at each moment from the beginning. I did not
have a clear or organized plan of how I was going to do each thing or how I was going to achieve
the results of what I was looking for. On the other hand, the formulas were not clear from the
beginning, and I have been finding and investigating them throughout the procedure, for this
reason, although the organization was not correct when the experiment was carried out in the
correct state. In the other hand a strength that I could find in my procedure was that I had all the
necessary and indicated materials: 1- object with three different surfaces (milk brick), 2- a flat
surface (table), 3- a scale and 4- a dynamometer. Using the correct materials is important
because this will give you more accurate solutions.

Science helps me reach the conclusions as what we learn in forces makes us understand what is
written in my hypothesis that whenever a surface is bigger than the friction it creates also is, and
we know that the friction is the same value as the force needed to move the object.

To improve my project, I could have established a plan of how I was going to do it at the
beginning and thus not improvise. On the other hand, I should have also organized a little
research on the necessary formulas before anything else.

About the experiment to have a broader and more concrete conclusion, the experiment could
have been carried out with another object and thus evaluate if the same conclusions are gotten
with both and make a comparison of both. On the other hand, I could also have measured the
different surfaces to see the relationship of the size of the surface with the friction and thus also
investigate the proportions.