Friction Analysis (Lab Report Sample)

Laboratory 5
Friction Analysis
Student's Name
Date:
Instructor's name
1 Abstract
This laboratory was intended to study friction and measure its effect on an object's acceleration. For Part I, an optical microscope was used to perform a friction microanalysis. The samples used in the lab were wood and aluminum as the track used in the lab was made from aluminum, and a wooden block was added to it. A woodblock was slipped down the tilt during the consideration of friction effects in Part II of this laboratory. The block's acceleration was measured using Newton's second movement law and compared with the movable sensor's acceleration value. The block speed was compared with and without friction. It also confirmed that every object descending an incline is accelerated independently from its mass. The motion results were investigated in part 3 of this laboratory when the medium's resistance in which the object traveled was not ignored.
2 Procedure
Part 1
The teacher demonstrated this aspect of the laboratory. On a microscope slide, two recognized samples were mounted. The surfaces of each sample have been examined using an optical microscope. It became apparent that, whether the surface was smooth or flat, all surfaces were rugged and jagged at the microscopic level.
Part 2
The experiment is based virtually where the starting angle was set to 10 degrees, and the starting speed was set to 0. Increasing tilt angles replicated this move, and the acceleration of the block was then measured with and without friction. The percentage differential was measured between block acceleration with and without friction.
Part 3
The weight was 10.0 g for the coffee filter. 2.0 m from the ground was placed and released without initial speed. The terminal filter speed and the filter velocity relative to the air were calculated using Table 3.
3 Results and analysis
Part 1
From the First, The experiment starts with an aluminum track & Wood Block. But later on, the procedure, The investigation is conducted with aluminum track & Aluminium block.
Part 2
From the available tables, The value of coefficients of static friction & Kinetic friction between aluminum track & Aluminium block is 0.3 & 1.5, respectively.
Let the mass be 4 Kg,
Putting the values on the mentioned program, The results are as below,
θ ( Degrees)

Acceleration m/s2 Without Friction

Acceleration m/s2 With Friction

10

1.7

-1.19

15

2.54

-0.3

20

3.35

0.59

25

4.14

1.48

30

4.9

2.35

To find the percentage difference between the acceleration of block with & without friction can be seen as,
θ ( Degrees)

Difference between acceleration with and without friction

% Difference

10

   1.7 - ( - 1.19 ) = 2.89

2.89 / 100 = 0.0289

15

   2.54 - ( - 0.3 ) = 2.84

2.84 / 100 = 0.0284

20

   3.35 – 0.59 = 2.76

2.76 / 100 = 0.0276

25

   4.14 – 1.48 = 2.66

2.66 / 100 = 0.0266

30

   4.9 – 2.35 = 2.55

2.55 / 100 = 0.0255

Part 3
Mass of coffee filter;    
The initial height of coffee filter with respect to ground; 
Since terminal velocity is defined as constant velocity in which an object attains during its free-fall through a fluid { here air } ;
Terminal velocity;
 
Here for the coffee filter, consider table (3) given in the question ;
Trial 1;
The coffee filter takes time to cover 2 meters; 
So terminal velocity; 
Trial 2;
The coffee filter takes time to cover 2 meters; 
i.e., terminal velocity; 
Trial 3 ;
The coffee filter takes time to cover 2 meters; 
i.e., terminal velocity; 
Since air is assumed to be at rest { no wind speed or other factors}, the coffee filter's velocity relative to air is the same as the terminal velocity.
So from the above calculation table 3 can be filled as below ;
Trial

time(s)

 (m/s)

 (m/s)

1

2.94

0.68

0.68

2

2.81

0.71

0.71

3

3.05

0.65

0.65

4 Part 3 Questions
1 A free body diagram of mass sliding down an inclined plane is given below ;
From the figure, it is clear that the cosine component of gravitational force is canceled out by the normal force acting on the mass.
So only force responsible for the motion of the mass is the sine component of gravitational force. So the net forces acting mass is given by ;
 ..........(1)
From Newton's second law, force and acceleration " a " of an object related by the expression,
 ............(2)
Substituting for the force acting on given mass from equation (1) in equation (2) ;
i.e., acceleration of mass sliding through an inclined plane is given by ;
 ..............(3)
which is independent of mass.
(2) At a critical angle block starts to slide.
Acceleration acting on the block at critical angle  ;
from equation (3) 
After that, if we try to decrease the inclination angle, we are reducing the object's acceleration, not the velocity