Mechanics for Engineers
Questions for Practice
Module-3
Why rolling friction is less than sliding friction?
Explain the relationship between the angle of friction and the angle of repose.
Friction is a necessary evil. Comment.
Explain the coefficient of friction.
Define the angle of repose.
Define the coefficient of friction and limiting friction.
Explain the term angle of friction.
State the laws of friction.
How will you distinguish between static friction and dynamic friction?
What do you understand by the term friction? Explain clearly why it comes into play.
Long questions
1. i) State the laws of dry friction. ( 4 marks)
2. ii) A body resting on a rough horizontal plane required a pull of 180 N inclined at 30° to
the plane just to move it. It was found that a push of 220 N inclined at 30° to the plane just
moved the body. Determine the weight of the body and the coefficient of friction. (8 marks)
3. An effort of 200 N is required just to move a certain body up an inclined plane of angle 15°
the force acting parallel to the plane. If the angle of inclination of the plane is made 20° the
effort required, again applied parallel to the plane, is found to be 230 N. Find the weight of
the body and the coefficient of friction.
4. A uniform ladder of 3.25 m in length and weighing 250 N is placed against a smooth vertical
wall with its lower end 1.25 m from the wall. The coefficient of friction between the ladder
and floor is 0.3. What frictional force acts on the ladder at the point of contact between the
ladder and the floor? Show that the ladder will remain in equilibrium in this position.
5. Two identical blocks of weight W are supported by a rod inclined at 45° with the horizontal
as shown in Fig. If both the blocks are in limiting equilibrium, find the coefficient of friction
(μ), assuming it to be the same at the floor as well as at the wall.
6. A ladder of length 4 m, weighing 200 N, is placed against a vertical wall, as shown in Fig. The
coefficient of friction between the wall and the ladder is 0.2, and between the floor and the
ladder is 0.3. The ladder, in addition to its own weight, has to support a man weighing 600 N
at a distance of 3 m from A. Calculate the minimum horizontal force to be applied at A to
prevent slipping.
7. A ladder of length L rests against a wall, the angle of inclination being 45°. If the coefficient of
friction between the ladder and the ground and that between the ground and the wall is 0.5
each, what will be the maximum distance on the ladder to which a man whose weight is 1.5
times the weight of the ladder may ascend before the ladder begins to slip?
8. A uniform ladder of 4 m in length rests against a vertical wall with which it makes an angle of
45°. The coefficient of friction between the ladder and the wall is 0.4, and that between the
ladder and the floor is 0.5. If a man, whose weight is one-half of that of the ladder, ascends
it, how high will it be when the ladder slips?
9. i) Establish a relation between the coefficient of friction and the angle of repose. (4 marks)
10. ii) A load of 500 N is lying on an inclined plane whose inclination with the horizontal is 30°. If
the coefficient of friction between the load and the plane is 0.4, find the minimum and
maximum horizontal force, which will keep the load in equilibrium (8 marks)
11. A body of weight 500 N is lying on a rough plane inclined at an angle of 25° with the
horizontal. It is supported by an effort (P) parallel to the plane, as shown in Fig. Determine
the minimum and maximum values of P, for which the equilibrium can exist if the angle of
friction is 20°.
12. i) State the Coulomb’s laws of dry friction. (4 marks)
13. ii) Two blocks A and B of weights 1kN and 2kN respectively are in equilibrium position as
shown in the figure. If the coefficient of friction between the two blocks, as well as block B
and the floor is 0.3, find the force P required to move block B. (8 marks)
Short Notes
Rolling friction
Ladder Friction
Wedge Friction
Cone of friction
Kinetic friction
Angle of repose
Static friction
Columb friction
Limiting friction
Friction