Lecture Notes Chapter 5 Friction

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1 Lecture Notes Chapter 5 Friction NORMAL FORCES When an object rests on a surface, the surface exerts a normal force on the object, keeping it from accelerating downward. A normal force is perpendicular to the contact surface of an object. Example When we are standing, we do not fall through the floor because the downward force of our weight is balanced by the upward normal force exerted by the surface of the floor. The magnitudes of these forces are equal, but they are applied in opposite directions. However, if we stood on a piece of paper, the normal force of the paper would not be great enough to counteract our weight because the paper is not strong enough. The forces would be unbalanced and we would accelerate downward, falling through the paper. Diagram of a body resting on a surface F w(weight) In these scenarios, F w = F N. F N (normal force) FRICTION It is harder to move objects with larger inertia, but there are ways to make moving objects with larger amounts of inertia easier. One way is to reduce the amount of friction between the object and its contact surface. Friction is a force that resists the relative motion of two objects in contact, caused by the irregularities of the surfaces coming into contact and colliding with each other. There are two types of friction to consider: Static friction is the force that opposes the start of relative motion between two objects in contact with each other. Kinetic friction is the force that opposes the relative motion between two objects in contact with each other when the objects are actually in motion. Important things to know about friction: 1. Friction is always parallel to the contact surface and is in the opposite direction of the force causing the motion.

2 Push/Pull force Friction force 2. Static friction is always greater than kinetic friction. This is due to inertia An object at rest tends to stay at rest while an object in motion tends to continue moving. 3. Friction increases as the force between two surfaces increases. Friction depends on the nature of the materials coming into contact with each other. Friction depends on the force pressing the objects together. FRICTION Friction is a force that opposes relative motion between systems in contact. It is parallel to the contact surface between systems and always in a direction that opposes motion or attempted motion of the systems relative to each other. If the two systems are in contact and moving relative to one another, then the friction between is called kinetic friction. When objects are stationary, static friction can act between them. The static friction is usually greater than the kinetic friction between the objects.

3 EXAMPLE 5.1 Skiing Exercise A skier with a mass of 62 kg is sliding down a snow slope. Find the coefficient of kinetic friction for the skier if friction is known to be 45.0 N. Solution: The magnitude of kinetic friction is given as 45.0 N. Kinetic friction is related to the normal force N as, thus the coefficient of kinetic friction can be found if we can find the normal force of the skier on a slope. The normal force is always perpendicular to the surface, and since there is no motion perpendicular to the surface, the normal force should equal the component of the skier s weight perpendicular to the slope.

4 Normal force is equal in magnitude to because there is no motion perpendicular to the slope. However, f is less than in magnitude, so there is acceleration down the slope (along the x-axis). Solving for kinetic friction Substituting known values,

5 Friction is proportional to the normal force, but not to the area in contact. When two rough surfaces are in contact, the actual contact area is a tiny fraction of the total area since only high spots touch. When a greater normal force is exerted, the actual contact area increases, and it is found that the friction is proportional to this area when there is a greater normal force as a result of a greater applied force, the area of actual contact increases as does friction.