Procedure:
Materials: Wood ramp, Sandpaper wood block, smooth wood block, protractor
Step 1: Get the weight of the wooden blocks.
Step 2: Place the smooth block onto the ramp. Lift the ramp until the block slides down. Measure the angle at which it slid down with a protractor.
Step 3: Repeat Step 2 for the sand paper block.
Step 4: Find the angles and solve for the normal force of friction and the coefficient.
Analysis:
(picture)
Smooth:
Ff = .73 N
FN = 1.3 N
Ff = (M)(FN)
M = Ff/FN = .73/1.3
M = .56
Sandpaper:
Ff = .92 N
FN = 1.18 N
Ff = (M)(FN)
M = Ff/FN = .92/1.18
M = .78
Conclusion:
What I learned:
I learned how how to calculate the coefficient of friction. I learned that different materials change the coefficient. Some items have more friction than others.
Errors: When sliding the blocks down the ramp, the angles at which the blocks slid made a difference. The angles at which they fell were different if the block was turned a certain way.
Studied Principle?: Some might need to use these formulas when needing to know what angle to build something, what angle something needs to slide down that structure, or what materials needed when building structures.
