Frictional Forces..
or lack thereof
Friction
Definition: the force that
opposes the motion of one
surface past another
Dependent upon: 1) type of
material
2) how tightly pressed they
are together (more weight
=more
friction)
Why would a snowboarder wax the board?
What conditions would change the
frictional force as they move downhill?
Characteristics of friction
1) ALWAYS opposes motion
a) it will slow it
b) or prevent it from
moving
2) Creates heat
3) Symbol is lowercase ‘f’…Ff
2 types of friction
Static Kinetic friction
1) prevents motion from 1) slows objects down.
starting.
2) occurs during motion
2) occurs before motion
Which is bigger…static or
It is easier to keep an object
kinetic? moving than start it from rest
New Symbol
• μ – Greek letter “Mu”
• Coefficient of friction.
– μs – coefficient of static friction
– μk – coefficient of kinetic friction
– depends on materials used and their surface
conditions
• Coefficient of friction: Decimal between 0.0 and 1.0,
unitless.
• Formula for solving friction: F f = μ FN
Sand is often placed on an icy road
because the sand:
Decreases the coefficient of friction between the tires of a car
and the road
Increases the coefficient of friction between the tires of a car
and the road
Decrease the gravitational force on a car
Increases the normal force of a car on the road
An empty cart is being rolled across a
warehouse floor. If the cart was filled, the
force of kinetic friction between the cart
and the floor would
Decrease
Increase
Remain the same
A 24 kg crate initially at rest on a horizontal
floor requires a 75N horizontal force to set it
in motion. Find the coefficient of static
friction between the crate and floor.
Once the crate is in motion, a horizontal
force of 53N keeps it moving with constant
velocity. Find the coefficient of kinetic
friction between the crate and floor.
A 55kg baseball player slides into third
base with an initial speed of 4.6 m/s. If
the coefficient of kinetic friction between
the player and the ground is 0.46, what is
the player’s acceleration? How far did he
slide?
1) Always draw your FBD
2) Fnet= ma= Ff
3) Ff=µFN
=0.46(539N)
= -248 N
4) F=ma
a= F/m
=-248N/55kg
= -4.5 m/s²
Where does this apply?
To car tires in
accidents.
By measuring the
length of skid marks,
police can calculate the
speed a car was going
before an accident.
Static and Kinetic Frictional Force
Formula
1) FN= mg = weight
2) fk = k FN
3) ΣF= max = k FN
Known Variables Unknown Variables
= 0.0500 ax =
Fk
4) max = k mg
vo = 4.00 m/s x =
vf = 0.00 m/s 5) (/m=>) ax= k g
6) ax = .05 (9.80m/s2)
Static and Kinetic Frictional Force
Formula
1) FN= mg = weight
2) ΣF= fk , fk = k FN
Known Variables Unknown Variables 3) ΣF= max = k FN
k = 0.0500 ax = 0.49 m/s2
vo = 4.00 m/s x =16.3m 4) max = k mg
vf = 0.00 m/s 5) (/m=>) ax= k g
6) ax = .05 (9.80m/s2)
Static and Kinetic Frictional Force
Formula
Did we need to know the mass of the 1) FN= mg = weight
sleder? No.
Why? It cancels out in the ax equation. 2) ΣF= fk , fk = k FN
Real Life Ap: This applies to car tires
in accidents. By measuring the length 3) ΣF= max = k FN
of skid marks, they can calculate the
4) max = k mg
speed a car was going before an
accident. k of a tire is the same for all 5) (/m=>) ax= k g
cars since it does not depend on car
mass or surface area of the tires. 6) ax = .05 (9.80m/s2)
Static and Kinetic Frictional Forces
Static Frictional Force:
Reaction force to anything trying to
start motion.
•Equal and opposite to applied force.
•DOES NOT EXCEED THE
APPLIED FORCE,
but is equal to it.
Static and Kinetic Frictional Forces
Static Frictional Force:
Reaction force to anything trying to
start motion.
Equal and opposite to applied force,
until reaches maximum value and motion
starts.
friction “breaks” when F is great enough
and motion begins.
Static and Kinetic Frictional Forces
Static Frictional Force Breaks at a certain value:
fs = s FN
fs = force of static friction
s = coefficient of static friction
FN = Normal force
Static and Kinetic Frictional Forces
Static Frictional Force Breaks at a certain value:
fs = s FN
fs = force of static friction
s = coefficient of static friction
FN = Normal force
s is a given value. It depends on the object and
the surface.
Static and Kinetic Frictional Forces
Static Frictional Force:
fs = force of static friction
s = coefficient of static friction
FN = Normal force (usually weight)
Normal force is usually just the
weight of the object.
FN = Mass* 9.80 m/s2
IMPORTANT!!!!!
If the surface is not horizontal use trig.
Notes on friction
Almost always:
μs > μ k
It is easier to keep an object moving than it is to start
from rest. Think about pushing a car.
Both are almost always less than 1. If it was greater
than one, it would be easier to pick the object up
and carry it than it would be to push it across the flat
surface (something like velcro)
Problem
Box:
How much force is needed to “budge” this
box?
If we keep pushing that hard, what will the
acceleration be?
Problem
Box:
fs = s FN = .4 (10kg) ( 9.80m/s2)
fs = 39 N (Breaking Force)
Problem
Box:
fk = k FN = .2 (10kg) ( 9.80m/s2)
fk = 19.5 N (Kinetic Force)
Net Force = Pushing Force – Kinetic Friction Force
Net Force = 39N – 19.5N = 19.5N
a = F / m = 19.5N / 10kg = 1.95 m/s 2 = 2 m/s2