Friction

Friction Problem Situations

Physics
Montwood High School
R. Casao
 Friction
Friction Ff is a force that resists motion
Friction involves objects in contact with
each other.
Friction must be overcome before
motion occurs.
Friction is caused by the uneven surfaces
of the touching objects. As surfaces are
pressed together, they tend to interlock
and offer resistance to being moved over
each other.
 Microscopic Friction
Surface Roughness Adhesion

Magnified section of a
polished steel surface Computer graphic from
showing surface bumps a simulation showing gold
about 5 x 10-7 m (500 nm) atoms (below) adhering to
high, which corresponds the point of a sharp nickel
to several thousand probe (above) that has
atomic diameters. been in contact with the
gold surface.
 Friction
Frictional forces are always in the
direction that is opposite to the
direction of motion or to the net force
that produces the motion.
Friction acts parallel to the surfaces in
contact.
 Types of Friction
Static friction: maximum frictional force
between stationary objects.
Until some maximum value is reached and
motion occurs, the frictional force is
whatever force is necessary to prevent
motion.
Static friction will oppose a force until such
time as the object breaks away from the
surface with which it is in contact.
The force that is opposed is that
component of an applied force that is
parallel to the surface of contact.
 Types of Friction
The magnitude of the static friction force Ffs
has a maximum value which is given by:

Ff s s FN
where s is the coefficient of static friction
and FN is the magnitude of the normal force
on the body from the surface.
 Types of Friction
Sliding or kinetic friction: frictional force
between objects that are sliding with respect
to one another.
Once enough force has been applied to the object
to overcome static friction and get the object to
move, the friction changes to sliding (or kinetic)
friction.
Sliding (kinetic) friction is less than static friction.
If the component of the applied force on the object
(parallel to the surface) exceeds Ffs then the
magnitude of the opposing force decreases rapidly
to a value Fk given by:
Fk k FN
where k is the coefficient of kinetic friction.
 Static Friction
The static frictional force keeps an object from
starting to move when a force is applied. The static
frictional force has a maximum value, but may take on
any value from zero to the maximum, depending on
what is needed to keep
the sum of forces zero.
 Types of Friction

From 0 to the maximum value of the static

frictional force Fs in the figure, the applied
force is resisted by the static frictional force
until breakaway.
Then the sliding (kinetic) frictional force Fk is
approximately constant.
 Types of Friction
Static and sliding friction are
dependent on:
The nature of the surfaces in contact.
Rough surfaces tend to produce more
friction.
The normal force (Fn) pressing the
surfaces together; the greater Fn is, the
more friction there is.
 Friction vs. Area

Question: Why doesnt friction depend on contact area?

The microscopic area of contact between a box and the floor is
only a small fraction of the macroscopic area of the boxs bottom
surface.
If the box is turned on its side, the macroscopic area is increased,
but the microscopic area of contact remains the same (because the
contact is more distributed). Therefore the frictional force f is
independent of contact area.
 Types of Friction
Rolling friction: involves one object
rolling over a surface or another
object.
Fluid friction: involves the
movement of a fluid over an object
(air resistance or drag in water) or
the addition of a lubricant (oil,
grease, etc.) to change sliding or
rolling friction to fluid friction.
 Coefficient of Friction
Coefficient of friction (): ratio of
the frictional force to the normal
force pressing the surfaces together.
has no units.
Static: F
fs
s
Fn
F
Sliding (kinetic): k fk
Fn
The maximum frictional force is 50 N. As the applied
force increases from 0 N to 50 N, the frictional force also
increases from 0 N to 50 N and will be equal to the
applied force as it increases.
Once the static frictional force of 50 N has been
overcome, only a 40 N force is needed to overcome the
40 N kinetic frictional force and produce constant
velocity (a = 0 m/s2).
As the applied force increases beyond 40 N, the kinetic
frictional force remains at 40 N and the 100 N block will
accelerate.
 A Model of Friction

Friction
Static Friction
 Kinetic Friction

Fpush f k k FN
 Kinetic Friction and Speed
The kinetic frictional force is also
independent of the relative speed of the
surfaces, and of their area of contact.
Rolling Friction
Horizontal Surface Constant Speed

Constant speed:
a = O m/s2.
The normal force
pressing the
surfaces together is
the weight; Fn = Fw
Fx m a Ff Ff
k
Fx Ff m a Fn Fw
Fx Ff 0 N Ff k Fw
Fx Ff Fx Ff k Fw
Horizontal Surface: a > O m/s2
Fx Ff
Fx m a
Fx Ff m a
Fn Fw
Ff Ff
k
Fn Fw
Ff k Fw
 Horizontal Surface: a > O m/s2
If solving for:
Fx: Fx m a Ff
Fx m a k Fw
Fx m a k m g

F f: Ff Fx m a
Fx Ff
a: a
m
 Horizontal Surface: Skidding to a
Stop or Slowing Down (a < O m/s2)
The frictional force is responsible for the
negative acceleration.
Generally, there is no Fx.
Ff m a
Fn Fw
Ff Ff
k
Fn Fw
Ff k Fw
 Horizontal Surface: Skidding to a
Stop or Slowing Down (a < O m/s2)

Most common use involves finding

acceleration with a velocity equation and
finding k:
2 2
v f v i (2 a x )
2
x (v i t ) (0.5 a t )
v f v i (a t )
Acceleration will be negative because the
speed is decreasing.
 Horizontal Surface: Skidding to a
Stop or Slowing Down (a < O m/s2)
Ff Ff m a a
k
Fn Fw mg g

The negative sign for acceleration a is

dropped because k is a ratio of forces
that does not depend on direction.
Maximum stopping distance occurs when
the tire is rotating. When this happens,
a = -sg.
Otherwise, use a = -kg to find the
acceleration, then use a velocity equation
to find distance, time, or speed.
 Friction, Cars, & Antilock Brakes
The diagram shows forces acting on a car
with front-wheel drive. Typically, Fn > Fn
because the engine is over the front wheels.
The largest frictional force fs the tire can exert
on the road is sFn. Attempts to make the tire
exert a force larger than this causes the tire to
burn rubber and actually reduces the force,
since k<s.
Note that while all points on the rolling tire
have the same speed v in the reference frame
of the car, in the reference frame of the road
the bottom of the tire is at rest, while top is
moving forward with a speed of 2v.
Antilock brakes sense the wheel rotation
and ease off if it close to stopping,
maintaining static friction with the road and
allowing better control of steering than if the
wheels were locked.
Antilock Brakes
 Example:
The Effect of Antilock Brakes
A car is traveling at 30 m/s along a horizontal road.
The coefficients of friction are ms=0.50 and mk=0.40.
(a) What is the braking distance xa with antilock
brakes?
(b) What is the braking distance xb if the brakes lock?
v02
v 2 v02 2 a
x and v 0, so
x
2 a
aa s g and ab k g
v02 (30 m/s) 2
xa 91.7 m
2 s g 2 (0.5)
m/s )
(9.81 2

v02 (30 m/s) 2

xb 114.7 m
2 k g 2 (0.4) (9.81
m/s ) 2
 Example: A Game of Shuffleboard
A cruise-ship passenger uses a
shuffleboard cue to push a shuffleboard disk
of mass 0.40 kg horizontally along the deck,
so that the disk leaves the cue at a speed of
8.5 m/s. The disk then slides a distance of
8.0 m. f k k Fn
What is the coefficient of kinetic friction
between the disk and deck?

F y m a y 0 F x m ax
Fn m g 0 Fn m g f k k m g m ax ax k g

vx2 v02x 2 ax x 0 v02x 2 k g x

v02x (8.5 m/s) 2
k 0.46
2 g m/s ) (8.0
x 2 (9.81 2
m)
Down an Inclined Plane
 Down an Inclined Plane
Resolve Fw into Fx and Fy.
The angle of the incline is always equal to
the angle between Fw and Fy.
Fw is always the hypotenuse of the right
triangle formed by Fw, Fx, and Fy.
Fy Fx
cos sin
Fw Fw
Fy Fw cos
Fx Fw sin
 Down an Inclined Plane

The force pressing the surfaces

together is NOT Fw, but Fy; Fn = Fy.
F m a or
Fx Ff m a
m g sin m
g cos m a
Fx Ff mass m cancels out
a
m (g sin ) ( g cos
) a
Ff Ff (g sin ) a

k g cos
Fn Fy
Ff k Fy
 Down an Inclined Plane
If we place an object on an inclined plane and
increase the tilt angle to the point at which the
object just begins to slide.
What is the relation between and the static
coefficient of friction s?

y - axis : FN Fw cos
x - axis : f s s FN Fw
sin
fs Fw sin
s
Fn Fw cos
sin
s tan
cos
 Down an Inclined Plane
If the object slides down the incline at constant speed
(a = 0 m/s2), the relation between and the kinetic
coefficient of friction k:

m
Fx Ff m 0 2
s
Fx Ff 0 N
Fx Ff
Ff Fx Fw sin sin
k tan
Fn Fy Fw cos cos
k tan
 Down an Inclined Plane
To determine the angle of the
incline:
If moving:

1
tan k
If at rest:
1
tan s
 Example: A Sliding Coin
A hardcover book is resting on a
tabletop with its front cover facing upward.
You place a coin on the cover and very
slowly open the book until the coin starts
to slide. The angle is the angle of the
cover just before the coin begins to slide.
Find the coefficient of static friction s
between the coin and book.
F y m a y
Fn m g cos 0 or FN g cos
m

f s s FN at , so f s s m g cos

F x m ax
m g sin
fs 0 or f s gsin
m

Therefore, s cos sin or s tan

 Example:
Dumping a file cabinet
Steel on dry steel

Free-body diagram

A 50.0 kg steel file cabinet is in the back of a dump truck.

The trucks bed, also made of steel, is slowly tilted. What is
the size of the static friction force when the trucks bed is
tilted by 20? At what angle will the file cabinet begin to
slide?
 Example:
Dumping a file cabinet
F x w sin f s m g sin

fs
0;
F y n w cos n m g cos

0;

sin (50.0 kg) (9.80

f s m g m/s 2 ) sin
20 168
N;

File cabinet will begin to slide when:

f s f s max s n s m g cos
;

m g sin f s m g sin
s m g cos
0;

sin
s tan ; arctan s arctan(0.80) 38.7
cos
 Non-Parallel Applied Force on Ramp
If an applied force acts on the box
at an angle above the
horizontal, resolve FA into parallel FA sin( + )

and perpendicular components FA

using the angle + : N
fk
FA cos ( + ) and FA sin ( + )
FA cos( + )
mg sin

FA serves to increase acceleration
directly and indirectly: directly by
FA cos ( + ) pulling the box
down the ramp, and indirectly by
FA sin ( + ) lightening the mg
mg cos
normal support force with the
 Non-Parallel Applied Force on Ramp
FA sin ( + )
If FA sin( + ) is not big enough
FA
to lift the box off the ramp, there
N
is no acceleration in the
fk
perpendicular direction. So,
FA sin( + ) + FN = mgcos.
FA cos( + )
mg sin Remember, FN is what a scale
would read if placed under the
box, and a scale reads less if a
force lifts up on the box. So,
FN = mg cos - FA sin( + ),
which means fk = k FN
mg

= k [mg cos - FA sin( + )].

co

mg
s
 Non-Parallel Applied Force on Ramp
FA sin( + )

FA
N
fk

FA cos( + )
mg sin

If the combined force of FA cos( + ) +

mg sin is is enough to move the box:
FA cos( + ) + mgsin
- k [mgcos - FA sin( + )] = ma mg cos

mg
Up an Inclined Plane
 Up an Inclined Plane
Resolve Fw into Fx and Fy.
The angle of the incline is always
equal to the angle between Fw and
Fy.
Fw is always the hypotenuse of the
right triangle formed by Fw, Fx, and
Fy. Fy Fx
cos sin
Fw Fw
Fy Fw cos
Fx Fw sin
 Up an Inclined Plane
Fa is the force that must be applied
in the direction of motion.
Fa must overcome both friction and
the x-component of the weight.
The force pressing the surfaces
together is Fy.
 Up an Inclined Plane
Fn Fy
Fx m a
For constant
Fa Ff Fx m a speed, a = 0 m/s2.
Fa Ff Fx F a = Fx + Ff
a
m
Ff Ff For a > 0 m/s2.
k Fa = Fx + Ff + (ma)
Fn Fy
Ff k Fy
Pulling an Object on a Flat Surface
Pulling an Object on a Flat Surface
The pulling force F
is resolved into Fx
and Fy.
Fx
cos
F
Fy
sin
F
Fx F cos
Fy F sin
 Pulling an Object on a Flat Surface
Fy 0 N
Fn is the force that
the ground exerts Fn Fy Fw 0 N
upward on the Fn Fw Fy
mass. Fn equals the
Ff Ff
downward weight Fw k
minus the upward Fn Fw Fy
force Fy from the Ff k (Fw Fy )
pulling force.
Fx m a
For constant speed,
Fx Ff m a
a = 0 m/s2.
Fx Ff
a
m
 Example: Pulling A Sled
Two children sitting on a sled at rest in the
snow ask you to pull them. You pull on the
sleds rope, which makes an angle of 40 with
the horizontal. The children have a combined
mass of 45 kg, and the sled has a mass of
5.0 kg. The coefficients of static and kinetic
friction are s=0.20 and k=0.15, and the sled
is initially at rest.
Find the acceleration of the sled and children if
the rope tension is 100 N.
F y m a y FN T sin m g m
0 or FN m g T sin
FN 50kg 9.8 m 100 N sin 40 425.72 N
s2
F x max T cos f k m a x
fk
k f k k FN 0.15 425.72 N 63.86 N
FN
100 N cos 40 63.86 N
100 N cos 40 63.86 N 50kg ax ax 0.2549 m
50kg s2
Simultaneous Pulling and Pushing an Object
on a Flat Surface
Simultaneous Pulling and Pushing an Object
on a Flat Surface
Fy 0 N
Fn Fy Fw 0 N
Fn Fw Fy
Fx
cos Ff Ff
F k
Fn

Fw Fy
Fy Ff k (Fw Fy )
sin
F Fx m a

Fx F cos Fx Fpush Ff m a
Fx Fpush Ff
Fy F sin a
m
Pushing an Object on a Flat Surface
 Pushing an Object on a Flat Surface

The pushing force F

Fx
is resolved into Fx cos
and Fy. F
Fy
sin
F
Fx F cos
Fy F sin
 Pushing an Object on a Flat Surface
Fy 0 N
Fn is the force that
the ground exerts Fn Fy Fw 0 N
upward on the Fn Fw Fy
mass. Fn equals the
downward weight Fw Ff Ff
k
plus the upward Fn Fw Fy
force Fy from the
pushing force. Ff k (Fw Fy )
For constant speed, Fx m a
a = 0 m/s2. Fx Ff m a
Fx Ff
a
m
 Pulling and Tension

The acceleration a of both masses is the same.

 Pulling and Tension
For each mass: Fn1 Fw1
Fn2 Fw2
Ff1 k Fn1
Ff2 k Fn2
Isolate each mass and examine the
forces acting on that mass.
 Pulling and Tension
m1 = mass

F m1 a
T1 T2 Ff1 m1 a

T1 may not be a
tension, but could be
an applied force (Fa)
that causes motion.
Pulling and Tension

m2 = mass

F m 2 a
T2 Ff 2 m 2 a
 Pulling and Tension
This problem can often be solved as a
system of equations:

T1 T2 Ff1 m1 a
T2 Ff 2 m 2 a

See the Solving Simultaneous Equations

notes for instructions on how to solve this
problem using a TI or Casio calculator.
Revisiting Tension and Friction
 Revisiting Tension and Friction
For the hanging mass, m2:For the mass on the
table, m1:

Fw 2 m 2 g F m a
F m 2 a Fn1 Fw1
Fw 2 T m 2 a Ff Fn1
m2 g T m2 a T-Ff m1 a
The acceleration a of both
masses is the same.
Revisiting Tension and Friction

m2 g m1 a Ff m2 a
m2 g Ff m2 a m1 a
m2 g Ff
a
m2 m1
 Example: A Sliding Block
A block of mass m2 = 5.0 kg has been
adjusted so that the block m1 = 7.0 kg
is just on the verge of sliding.
(a)What is the coefficient of static
friction ms between the table and the
block?
F y FN m1 g m1 a y 0 so FN m1 g

F x T f m1 ax 0 so f s FN s m1 g T

F x' m2 g T m2 ax ' 0 so T m2 g
m2 g m2 5kg
Therefore, s m1 g m2 g; s
0.71
m2 g m2 7kg
 Example: A Sliding Block
(b) With a slight push, the blocks move with
acceleration a. Find a if k = 0.54.
F x T f m1 ax so T k m1 g m
1 a
x

T m1 ax k m1 g

F x' m2 g T m2 ax ' T m2 g m
2 a
x'

ax ax ' a
T=T, therefore, m1 a k m1 g m
2 g m2 a
m1 a m2 a m2 g k m1 g
g (m2 k m1 )
a
(m1 m2 )
9.8 m/s 2 5.0 kg 0.54
7.0 kg
a 1.0 m/s 2
7.0 kg 5.0 kg
Normal Force Not Associated with Weight.

A normal force can exist that is

totally unrelated to the weight of an
object.

friction
applied force

normal weight

FN = applied force
 Friction is Always Parallel to
Surfaces.
In this case, for the block
to remain in position
against the wall without
moving: Ff
the upward frictional
force Ff has to be equal
F
and opposite to the
downward weight Fw.
The rightward applied
FN
force F has to be equal
ad opposite to the
leftward normal force FN. FW
(0.20)