Adam Aguilar

Phys Lab 110: Lab 03

10/14/20

Introduction: The purpose of this lab was to study and investigate the frictional forces of static
force, which equals the component of an applied force and kinetic force, which is constant
when acting upon an object. To do so, a virtual lab was conducted using an online simulation
that measured an objects mass and forces of friction and gravity by adjusting the angle of the
platform the object sat on. There was also an objective to understand the coefficients of static
friction, which equals the ratio of maximum static force and the normal force of an object, and
the coefficient of kinetic friction, which equals the ratio of kinetic frictional force and normal
force. Learning how to determine these values by using calculations were utilized in part two of
this experiment to complete part three.

Experimental: In Part 1 of the experiment, an applied force acting upon an object, which was a
100kg crate, was studied. First, there was an applied force that steadily increased against the
stationary crate. It was shown that the value of applied force was equal to the value of static
frictional force but moved in the opposite direction. This is due to Newton’s Third Law of
Motion. The graph that depicts this is in the Results section labeled Figure 1. For this situation,
the acceleration was equal to zero since the crate was not moving. Next, there was also a
steadily applied force to the crate but continued to increase when the applied force became
larger than the force of friction. When the applied force is larger than the force of friction, this
is when the object starts moving, this happened when the applied force was equal to 483 N and
the frictional force became equal to -294 N, it is noted that this force remained constant at this
rate the rest of the time the applied force is increasing. The graph depicting this is in the Results
section labeled Figure 2. Doubling the mass of the crate from 100kg to 200kg, it was predicted
that the amount of applied force needed to move the crate would also need to increase. This
was tested by using the simulation and confirmed of the new applied force being 983 N.
In Part II of the experiment, the object was switched from a crate to a 200kg refrigerator. The
measurements of the amount of frictional force was acting upon the refrigerator at different
angles, those angles ranging from 0° to 45° in increments of 5. This table is in the Results
section labeled Table 1. Next, the maximum angle at which the refrigerator remained
motionless was found by utilizing the mechanics of the simulation. This angle being 26.5°. This
angle was also found by using the calculation us = Fg = us FN. This calculation is in the Results
section labeled Calculation 1. Next, the angle of the incline was set to 45° to determine the
frictional force applied to the moving refrigerator by utilizing the mechanics of the simulation
and by calculating the value and seeing if the values agree. This calculation is in the Results
section labeled Calculation 2.
In Part III, a mystery object was selected in the simulation. The mass and coefficients of static
and kinetic friction were found by using calculations that were utilized in Part II. The
calculations of finding these values for the mystery box are in the Results section labeled
Calculation 3, Calculation 4, and Calculation 5.
Results and Analysis:

Figure 1

For this situation, the acceleration is 0 since

the crate is stationary. The frictional force and
the applied force are both equal.

Figure 2

At about 483 N of applied force, the crate

started moving. When the crate begins to
move, the frictional force decreases to a
constant force of -294 N and stays at this rate
the rest of the time the applied force is
increasing.

The frictional force of the crate was obviously altered when the crate began to move rather
than when the crate was completely stationary. This is because the applied force, at about 7
seconds, exceeded the static frictional force which was keeping it from moving. The mass of the
crate also determines the amount of applied force needed to move the object.
 Angle (°) Frictional Force (N)
0° 0
5 172
10 342
15 507
20 671
25 829
30 340
35 321
40 301
45 277

This table and graph depicts when the force of friction increases at a steady rate at the increase
of each angle until around 35° that is when the frictional force starts decreasing. This maximum
angle is when the refrigerator starts moving downward which means that the frictional force
has been overcome since the object starts to move.

Calculation 1
Fg = usFf
mgsin ø = us mgcos ø
sin ø = uscos ø
us = sin ø/cos ø
us = tan ø
ø = tan-1(us)
ø = tan-1(0.5)
ø = 26.5°
The maximum angle where the refrigerator will not move is 26.5°.

Calculation 2
Ff = uk • FN
Ff = uk • mgcos ø
Ff = (0.2)(200kg)(9.8m/s2)cos(45°)
Ff = 277.18 N
The measured frictional force of the fridge while it slides is 277 N
Calculation 3
Tan0= us
Tan(16.6) = 0.3
Us = 0.3

Calculation 4
uk = Ff/FN
uk = 231N/347N
uk = 0.7

Calculation 5
FN = mgcos0
m = FN / gcos0
m = 347N / 9.8m/ss cos(16.7)
m = 37kg