Application of the Laws of Motion
LECTURER
Dr. Edwin Nyirenda and Mr Keith Nsofwa
Forces of Friction
When an object is in motion on a surface or through a viscous medium, there will
be a resistance to the motion.
Friction is a force that opposes relative motion between systems in contact.
We will be concerned with two types of frictional force
Force of static friction: fs
Force of kinetic friction: fk
Direction: opposite the direction of the intended motion
If moving: in direction opposite the velocity
If stationary, in direction of the vector sum of other forces
Friction cont.
Magnitude: Friction is proportional to the normal force
Static friction: Ff = F μsN
Kinetic friction: Ff = μkN
μ is the coefficient of friction
The coefficients of friction are nearly independent of the area of
contact (why?)
Static Friction
If two systems are in contact and stationary relative
to one another, then the friction between them is
called static friction.
If 𝑭 increases, so does 𝒇𝒔
If 𝑭 decreases, so does 𝒇𝒔
ƒs µs N
Remember, the equality holds when the surfaces are
on the verge of slipping
Kinetic Friction
If two systems are in contact and
moving relative to one another, then
the friction between them is called
kinetic friction.
The force of kinetic friction acts when
the object is in motion
Although µk can vary with speed, we
shall neglect any such variations
ƒk = µk N
Friction cont.
For small applied forces, the
magnitude of the force of static
friction equals the magnitude of the
applied force.
When the magnitude of the applied
force exceeds the magnitude of the
maximum force of static friction,
the trash can breaks free and
accelerates to the right.
Example 1
A 20.0-kg crate is at rest on a floor as shown. The coefficient of static
friction between the crate and floor is 0.700 and the coefficient of kinetic
friction is 0.600. A horizontal force P is applied to the crate. Find the
force of friction if (a) P = 20.0 N, (b) P = 30.0 N, (c) P = 120.0 N, and
(d) P = 180.0 N
Example 1 cont.
Solution
Newton’s fist law gives
F y 0
N W 0
N W
f s s N 0.700 20.0kg 9.81m / s 2 137 N
As long as P is less than 137 N, the force of static friction keeps the crate stationary and
𝑓𝑠 = 𝑷 . Thus,
(a) 𝑓𝑠 = 20.0 𝑁, (b) 𝑓𝑠 = 30.0 𝑁, and (c) 𝑓𝑠 = 120.0 𝑁.
(d) If P = 180.0 N, the applied force is greater than the maximum force of static friction
(137 N), so the crate can no longer remain at rest. Once the crate is in motion, kinetic
friction acts. Then
Example 1 cont.
The friction and acceleration will be
f k k N 0.600 196 N 118 N
F x ma
P f k ma
P f k 180.0 N 118 N
a 3.10m / s 2
m 20.0kg
Example 2
suppose you move the crate by pulling upward on the rope at an angle of 30° above the horizontal.
a) How hard must you pull to keep it moving with constant velocity? Assume that 𝜇𝑘 = 0.40.
b) Determine the normal force n
c) The friction force
Example 2 cont.
The crate is in equilibrium because its
velocity is constant(𝑎 = 0𝑚/𝑠 2 )
F x 0 T cos 30 ( f k ) 0 T cos 30 f k
F y 0 T sin 30 n ( w) 0 n w T sin 30
Example 2 cont.
BUT
f k k n k ( w T sin 30) but T cos 30 k ( w T sin 30)
k w
T 188 N
cos 30 k sin 30
Determine the normal force n
n w T sin 30 500 N (188 N ) sin 30 406 N
f k k n 0.4 406 N 162.4 N
EXAMPLE 3
Suppose a block with a mass of 2.50 kg
is resting on a ramp. If the coefficient of
static friction between the block and
ramp is 0.350, what maximum angle can
the ramp make with the horizontal before
the block starts to slip down?
EXAMPLE 3 CONT.
Newton 2nd law:
F x mg sin s N 0
F y N mg cos 0
Then
N mg cos
F y mg sin s mg cos 0
tan s 0.350
So
tan 1 (0.350) 19.3
Example 4
The snowboarder glides down a slope that is
inclined at θ = 13° to the horizontal. The
coefficient of kinetic friction between the board
and the snow is 𝜇𝑘 = 0.20. What is the
acceleration of the snowboarder?
Example 4 cont.
Solution
We can now apply Newton’s second law to the snowboarder.
F x max mg sin k N max
F y 0 N mg cos 0 N mg cos
From the second equation, N = mg cos θ . Upon substituting this into the first equation,
we find
ax g (sin k cos ) g (sin13 0.520 cos13) 0.29m / s 2
Task (solved)
A block of mass 𝑚1 on a rough, horizontal surface is connected to a ball of mass
𝑚2 by a lightweight cord over a lightweight, frictionless pulley as shown in figure.
A force of magnitude F at an angle 𝜃 with the horizontal is applied to the block as
shown and the block slides to the right. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the
block and surface is μk. Find the magnitude of acceleration of the two objects.
Example 2 cont.
m1: F x F cos f k T m1a x m1a
F y N F sin m1 g 0
m2:
F y T m2 g m2 a y m2 a
T m2 (a g )
N m1 g F sin
f k k N k ( m1 g F sin )
F cos k ( m1 g F sin ) m2 (a g ) m1a
F (cos k sin ) (m2 k m1 ) g
a
m1 m2
Review and questions
