Experiment No.

3
Objective
The objective of this apparatus are to show that friction is proportional
to the normal force, and to determine the coefficient of friction between various
materials and a steel pane.

Apparatus
 Blocks of different materials
 Plates of different materials
 Piece of string
 Force measuring apparatus
 Load

Theory
Determining the Coefficient of Friction
Friction is a resistive force that prevents two objects from sliding freely against each
other. The coefficient of friction (fr) is a number that is the ratio of the resistive force
of friction (Fr) divided by the normal or perpendicular force (N) pushing the objects
together. It is represented by the equation:
fr = Fr/N
There are different types and values for the coefficient of friction, depending on the
type of resistive force. You can determine the coefficient of friction through
experiments, such as measuring the force required to overcome friction or measuring
the angle at which an object will start to slide off an incline. There are also charts of
common coefficients of friction available.
Different types of coefficient
The different types of friction are static, kinetic, deformation, molecular and
rolling. Each has its own coefficient of friction.

Static coefficient
Static friction is the force that holds back a stationary object up
to the point that it just starts moving. Thus, the static coefficient of friction concerns
the force restricting the movement of an object that is stationary on a relatively
smooth, hard surface.

Kinetic coefficient
Once you overcome static friction, kinetic friction is the force
holding back regular motion. This, kinetic fiction coefficient of friction concerns the
force restricting the movement of an object that is sliding on a relatively smooth,
hard surface.

Deformation coefficient
The deformation coefficient of friction concerns the
force restricting the movement of an object that is sliding or rolling and one or both
surfaces are relatively soft and deformed by the forces.

Molecular coefficient
Molecular coefficient of friction concerns the force
restricting the movement of an object that is sliding on an extremely smooth surface
or where a fluid is involved.

Rolling coefficient
The rolling coefficient of friction combines static,
deformation and molecular coefficients of friction. This coefficient of friction can
be made quite low.
Material & Mass of block
Aluminum = 0.83N
Brass = 2.57N
Steel = 2.37N

Procedure
 First I cleaned surfaces used in this test for the experiment and kept free
from corrosion when not in use.
 I weighed each specimen block (including cord and socket cap head
screw) and record for future reference.
 I placed the aluminium plate inside the tray and set the tray to roughly the
centre of its run.
 Then placed the steel specimen block to the far end of the tray and attach
the towing cord to the Newton meter with the cord taught.
 I recorded the specimen block load.
 Then turned the speed control knob to speed 1 and record the reading
from the Newton meter as the sliding force, Ff .
 I repeated the above procedure applying increments of 0.5 N onto the
block up to a maximum of 2.5N, recording the values into table . Using a
table similar to table 1 repeat the procedure for part 1 using all the other
blocks on the aluminium plate. The combinations will be:
 Brass block on aluminium plate.
 Aluminium block on aluminium plate.
 Now repeat the whole of part 1 but using the brass plate, tufnol plate and
nylon plate. Record all results in a table similar to table 1.
 The apparatus has two forward speed settings, the samples can be used in
any combination with different weights now at the second speed to
compare how the increase of speed might affect the frictional forces
between the two surfaces.
 We can construct a similar table for the Nylon, Brass and Tufnol plates.

For Aluminum
Sample Block Total Normal Sliding Force Friction
Block Applied Force F Coefficient
Load µ=F\N
(N) (N) (N) (N) (N)
Al
Brass
Steel
 For Brass
Sample Block Total Normal Sliding Force Friction
Block Applied Force F Coefficient
Load µ=F\N
(N) (N) (N) (N) (N)
Al
Brass
Steel

For Nylon
Sample Block Total Normal Sliding Force Friction
Block Applied Force F Coefficient
Load µ=F\N
(N) (N) (N) (N) (N)
Al
Brass
Steel

For Teflon
Sample Block Total Normal Sliding Force Friction
Block Applied Force F Coefficient
Load µ=F\N
(N) (N) (N) (N) (N)
Al
Brass
Steel
Conclusion