Objective: TO investigate the effect on friction of the following factors 1.

normal force that presses the two surfaces together 2. materials that the two surfaces are made of 3. area in contact of two surfaces Apparatus

Rectangular wooden block Wooden plank Glass plate Plastic plate String Scissors Jack Spring balance Triple-beam balance Half-meter rule Retort stand and clamp G-clamp Trolley Standard weights(100g) X5

Procedure
1.

Use the triple-beam balance and half-meter rule to measure the mass and the areas of the three faces of the rectangular wooden block respectively.
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Effect of normal force on friction

2.

Set up the apparatus as shown in following

3.

Slowly push the wooden plank(together with the two trolley underneath)away from the spring balance. Note the increase in the spring balances reading which indicates the static friction. When the block starts to slide, quickly read the spring balance. The maximum value is the limiting static friction. Keep pushing the wooden plank to maintain a steady sliding, and note again the spring balances reading which now indicates the kinetic friction. Repeat the measurement of static friction and kinetic friction two more time to get the average values. Tabulate the results. Add a 100g standard weight on the wooden block each time to increase the normal force. Repeat the measurement. Effect of materials on friction
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4.

5.

6.

Replace the wooden plank with the glass plate. Use the same face of the wooden block and two 100g standard weights. Repeat the measurement. Tabulate the results. Replace the wooden plank with the plastic plate and repeat the measurement. Tabulate the results. Effect of area on friction

7.

8.

Take turn to use the different faces of the wooden block. Use the wooden plank and two 100g standard weights. Repeat the measurement. Tabulate the results.

Results
9.

Of the wooden block Mass=0.32900.0005 Kg Area of face 1=100.05cm 7.50.05cm =750.875cm Area of face 2=100.05cm 7.50.05cm =750.875cm Area of face 3=7.50.05cm 7.50.05cm =56.250.75cm Effect of normal force on friction

10. Surfaces in contact: wood on wood

Area of surface in contact A = 750.875cm

11. Graphs:

Ls against R

slope of the graph=s=1.54=0.375 Lk against R

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Slope of the graph=k=27=0.286 According to above graphs, the friction between the wooden block and the wooden plank is gradual increased when the normal force of the block id increased. So the friction is directly proportional to the normal force of the block. Effect of materials on friction
12. Normal force R = 3.290N

Area of surface in contact A = 750.875cm

The s for the three pairs of surfaces: wood on wood = 1.373.290 = 0.416
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wood on glass = 2.473.290 = 0.751 Wood on plastic = 2.373.290 = 0.720 The k for the three pairs of surfaces: wood on wood = 1.073.290 = 0.325 wood on glass = 2.273.290 = 0.690 Wood on plastic = 2.33.290 = 0.699 According to above dates, wood on wood has smaller friction than that of the others. Effect of area on friction
13. Surfaces in contact : wood on wood

normal force R = 3.290N

The s for the three faces of the wooden block: 75cm faces = 2.475.29 = 0.467 56.25cmface = 2.535.29 = 0.478 75cm faces = 2.475.29 = 0.467 The k for the three faces of the wooden block: 75cm faces = 1.575.29 = 0.297 56.25cm face = 2.075.29 = 0.391 75cm face = 2.075.29 =0.391 According to above dates, it indicates that the friction is not related to the contact area Error: In above experiments can be observed the friction of wood on wood is smaller than that of wood on plastic/glass. It is because the surface of the plastic plate and the glass plate is dirty, it makes the friction increases.
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moreover, take the reading from the half-meter ruler and the triple-beam balance may be wrongly, as somebody is not read the reading horizontal or vertical on the measurement. And the spring balance is not started from zero, and hence the reading is not accurate. Improvement: We should clean the surface of the glass plate and the plastic plate before carry out the experiment. On the other hand, we should read the reading vertical on the half-meter ruler and horizontal on triple-beam balance. Also, we should adjust the pointer in the spring balance to start from zero. Discussion: In the experiment, we pulling the wooden plank, instead of pulling the wooden block with the spring balance, in the measurement of Ls and k. It is because is more easily to apply a constant force on the wooden plank than that on wooden block and the reading of the spring balance is represented the friction between their contact surface. In pushing a car, it has a inertia to resist change to its state of rest or motion (By Newtons First Law of Motion) and the inertia of the object is directly proportional to its mass. As the car has large mass, so the inertia is large and hence we are difficult to start the motion of it, but we can pushing the car easily when the car is moving. It is because the car has a inertia to keep it move, so just a little force apply on the car can keep it moving. The braking system in bicycle can be maximized to achieve a larger frictional force, it should decrease the mass of the bicycle and shorten the braking time of the braking system By Newtons Second Law of Motion, F=(mv-mu)/t F-=(mv-mu)/t = F-(mv-mu)/t when the mass of the bicycle and the braking time are decreased, the frictional force can be maximized.
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