Lab Report: Friction
Student Name: Razan Aljundi
Section: 11G1
Science Department - Grade 11
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5 Displacement and Forces in 2 Dimensions
5.2 Friction
Standard: HS-PS2-2. Use mathematical representations to support the claim that the total momentum of a
system of objects is conserved when there is no net force on the system.
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Essential Question
How can friction be useful in real life?
Prior Knowledge Questions
What is the main purpose of friction in movement?
Friction allows objects to start, stop, or change direction. It prevents slipping and enables controlled motion.
Purpose
- To determine the coefficients of static and kinetic friction between a block and different surfaces.
- To investigate friction in online simulations.
Materials Used
- Charged tab, copybook, pen, and pencil for graph plotting
- Wooden block (or any standard block)
- Spring scale
- Different surfaces (e.g., sandpaper, glass, cloth, plastic)
- Weights (to add mass to the block)
- Ruler
- Protractor (optional, for inclined plane tests)
- Notebook and pen for recording observations
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Prediction (Hypothesis)
The rougher the surface, the higher the coefficients of static and kinetic friction, while smoother surfaces will
have lower friction coefficients.
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Experiment
Procedure
1. Place the block on the first test surface.
2. Attach the spring scale to the block and pull slowly to measure the force needed to just start moving the
block. Record this force as the static frictional force.
3. Once the block is in motion, continue to pull it at a constant speed, and record the force shown on the spring
scale. This is the kinetic frictional force.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for different surfaces.
5. (Optional) Add weights to the block to vary its mass and repeat the measurements for one surface.
6. Record all data systematically.
Data Collection
Observations recorded in the table:
Surface Type | Normal Force (N) | Static Frictional Force (N) | Kinetic Frictional Force (N) | Coefficient of
Static Friction (u_s) | Coefficient of Kinetic Friction (u_k)
-------------|-----------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|----------
-----------------------
Wood | 5.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 0.60 | 0.50
Sandpaper | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 0.90 | 0.80
Glass | 5.0 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.24 | 0.20
Cloth | 5.0 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 0.70 | 0.60
Normal Force (N): Calculated using N = mg, where m is the mass of the block and weights, and g is 9.8 m/s².
Coefficient of Friction (u): Calculated using u_s = (Static Friction Force) / (Normal Force) and u_k = (Kinetic
Friction Force) / (Normal Force).
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Graph: Applied Force vs. Frictional Force
(Attach a graph plotting frictional force against applied force for different surfaces.)
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Virtual Activity: Working with Friction
In this activity, you will explore friction and projectile motion using an interactive simulation. Experiment
with different surface types and record the effects of friction on motion.
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Conclusion
What did you observe about the relationship between surface type and the coefficients of friction?
The experiment showed that rougher surfaces, such as sandpaper, had higher coefficients of friction, while
smoother surfaces, such as glass, had lower coefficients. The static friction force was consistently greater than
the kinetic friction force for all surfaces tested. This confirms that friction depends on the nature of the
surfaces in contact.
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End of Report