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Science Department
Academic Year 2024-2025 Dubai International Private School-Garhoud
Physics
Chapter 4: Forces and Newton’s Laws of Motion
Newton’s 2nd Law (Kinetic and Static Friction) (B)

Student Grade 11 Week # 28 Date /02/2025

Curriculum Standards: (HS-PS2-1): Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the
mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.

Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to:
1. Relate the magnitude of the friction to the interaction between the body and the surface.
2. Differentiate between static and kinetic friction.

Key Vocabulary Words:

• Newton’s second law: A law of motion that relates the net/total force applied to an object with the object’s mass and
acceleration
• Acceleration: The rate at which an object changes velocity. Acceleration = (Change in Velocity)/Time
• Static Friction: Type of friction that keeps objects at rest. Example: When a person is trying to move a stationary
object, static friction keeps it in place. Static friction opposes the direction of motion.
• Kinetic Friction: Frictional force that acts between two moving surfaces.
• Normal Force: the force that surfaces exert to prevent solid objects from passing through each other. Normal force
is a contact force - when two surfaces are in contact (e.g. a box and a table) they exert a normal force on each other,
perpendicular to the contacting surfaces

Forces and Motion Pre Lab

Joe needs to push a file cabinet across the room. He begins by just looking at it. (Scene 1)
He then begins pushing on the file cabinet. At first, the file cabinet does not move. (Scene 2) Then the file cabinet begins to
slide. (Scene 3)

Scene 1: Scene 2: Scene 3:

Joe not pushing Joe pushing but cabinet not Joe pushing and cabinet
a. moving moving U
se

words and pictures to describe all the forces you think are acting on the cabinet in each scene.
In addition to normal force and gravitational force, the cabinet is being pushed by an applied force, namely
friction force in scene two. Static friction is pressing against the cabinet, preventing it from moving.

b. Why do you think the file cabinet moves in scene 3 but not in scene 1 or 2?
No force is being applied, so the cabinet stays at rest.

c. If the floor is covered with ice, how would the motion of the cabinet change?
On an icy floor, the file cabinet will slide more easily once moving due to reduced friction but will be harder to control
and stop. If the person lacks traction, starting the motion may also be difficult.

DIPS Motto: Reaching the best potential of every learner in an inclusive, international environment
DIPS Vision: DIPS, in partnership with parents and community, strives to prepare every student to be digitally literate, a lifelong learner, and a productive citizen.
DIPS Mission: DIPS is committed to provide education following international standards yet adhering to local values and traditions.
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Friction Overview:
Kinetic Friction: the force between two surfaces moving relative to one another. Once an object is moving, this force pushes
in the opposite direction to slow the object to rest.

Static Friction: the force between two surfaces that are not moving relative to one another. Opposes movement of an object
as it is pushed from rest.

*It is more difficult to start moving an object from rest than it is to keep pushing with a constant velocity because:

It is more difficult to start moving an object from rest than to keep pushing it at a constant velocity because static
friction (which resists the initial movement) is greater than kinetic friction (which opposes motion once the object
is already moving). Static friction must be overcome to start movement, while kinetic friction requires less force to
maintain motion.

Instructions:
• Follow the steps below to complete the lab. Fill out the data tables and answer the guide questions as well as the
choice question at the end.
Part 1: The types of frictional forces
Step 1: Click on the link to the lab simulation in the assignment. The link is reproduced here for ease of access
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/cheerpj/motion-series/latest/motion-series.html?simulation=forces-and-motion
Step 2: You should appear at the screen shown below

DIPS Motto: Reaching the best potential of every learner in an inclusive, international environment
DIPS Vision: DIPS, in partnership with parents and community, strives to prepare every student to be digitally literate, a lifelong learner, and a productive citizen.
DIPS Mission: DIPS is committed to provide education following international standards yet adhering to local values and traditions.
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Step 3: Pull the Applied Force Slider bar over so it reads approximately 300N.

Guiding Question 1: What happens to the force of friction as the applied force increases?

It increases

Guiding Question 2: Which type of friction is represented in the situation in Question 1? Explain how you know. Look at
the vocabulary words if you get stuck. Static friction because it did not move yet.

Step 4: Slide the Applied Force Slider until the Box starts to move. Make sure to have the “Sum of Forces” box checked in
the menu bar on the right.

Guiding Question 3: What is the value of the applied force when the box starts to move? What is the value of the frictional
force at this moment?

Value of applied force at threshold: 620 N

Value of friction at threshold: 620N

Guiding Question 4: How does the value of the frictional force before the box starts moving compare to the frictional force
after the box starts moving? Which one is static friction? Which one is kinetic friction? The value before moving is the same
as the applied force causing the object not to move (static force) while the value after in less than the applied force (kinetic)

DIPS Motto: Reaching the best potential of every learner in an inclusive, international environment
DIPS Vision: DIPS, in partnership with parents and community, strives to prepare every student to be digitally literate, a lifelong learner, and a productive citizen.
DIPS Mission: DIPS is committed to provide education following international standards yet adhering to local values and traditions.
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Guiding Question 5: Making sure “Sum of Forces was checked above. Why is the sum of forces/net force less than the
applied force? Think about the direction of the forces in your answer.
Because he value of the friction force is negative (left) fnetx=fapp-ff , so it subtracts from the applied force.

DIPS Motto: Reaching the best potential of every learner in an inclusive, international environment
DIPS Vision: DIPS, in partnership with parents and community, strives to prepare every student to be digitally literate, a lifelong learner, and a productive citizen.
DIPS Mission: DIPS is committed to provide education following international standards yet adhering to local values and traditions.
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Step 5: Change the surface to “ice”. See image below

Step 6: Slide the Applied Force Slider until the Box starts to move.

Guiding Question 6: Why does the box start to move instantly? Use the key vocabulary word static friction.
Because there is less static friction between the box and ice, it slippery

Calculating Friction

The maximum static friction and maximum kinetic friction can be calculated with the
equation below. They depend on the magnitude of the Normal Force

Step 7: Change the surface back to “wood”. Record the mass, coefficient of kinetic friction, and coefficient of static friction
in the table below - of the wood “small crate”. This is displayed below the “Applied Force” Bar in the simulation.

Table 1

DIPS Motto: Reaching the best potential of every learner in an inclusive, international environment
DIPS Vision: DIPS, in partnership with parents and community, strives to prepare every student to be digitally literate, a lifelong learner, and a productive citizen.
DIPS Mission: DIPS is committed to provide education following international standards yet adhering to local values and traditions.
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Object mass Coefficient of Coefficient of Normal Force Maximum Maximum

[kg] Static Kinetic [N] Force of Force of
Friction Friction Static Kinetic
Friction Friction
[N] [N]

Small Crate 100 kg 0.5 0.3 981 490.5 294.3

File Cabinet 50 kg 0.5 0.2 490.5 245.25 98.1

Refrigerator 200 kg 0.5 0.2 1962 981 392.4

Step 8: Repeat step 7 above for the “File Cabinet” and the “Refrigerator”.

Guiding Question 7: Complete table 1 above by calculating the Normal Force, Maximum Force of Static Friction, and the
maximum force of kinetic friction. Use the equations at the end of page 3 and the equation in the table for Normal Force.
Recall: g = 10m/s^2.

Thinking - Question 8: How does the value you calculated for “maximum force of static friction” for the “small crate”
compare to your answer for question 3? Why is that the case?

The maximum static friction is greater than or equal to the friction in question 3. If the crate was moving, the
friction in question 3 was kinetic, which is always less than static friction. This happens because static friction
resists initial movement more than kinetic friction resists ongoing motion

Thinking - Question 9: What do you notice about the relationship between static and kinetic friction? Which one has a
larger maximum? Why do you think that would be the case?

Static friction is greater than kinetic friction. The maximum static friction is larger because it resists the initial
movement, while kinetic friction is lower since less force is needed to keep an object in motion.

DIPS Motto: Reaching the best potential of every learner in an inclusive, international environment
DIPS Vision: DIPS, in partnership with parents and community, strives to prepare every student to be digitally literate, a lifelong learner, and a productive citizen.
DIPS Mission: DIPS is committed to provide education following international standards yet adhering to local values and traditions.
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Criteria Standard

- I was following teachers’ - I was following teachers’ - I had to be reminded to

instructions right away. instructions, but occasionally follow teachers’ instructions
Following
- I was working nicely using taking a while to get started. to get started.
Instructions / Task
1 the material in front of me - I was getting distracted with - I rushed to do things so
Completion
without disturbing anyone others and held back from ended up doing mistakes.
……. /2
around me. finishing on time.
(2) (1) (0)
- I used my time wisely and - I wasted some time, but I was - I didn’t manage my time, so
finished every task on time. able to finish the task. I was late to finish the task.
Time Management / - I participate in class - I participate when addressed - I rarely participate to
2 Participation discussions by offering to discuss ideas and answer discuss ideas in class
……. /2 ideas and asking questions. questions. discussions.
(2) (1)
(0)
- I finished all the activity and - I finished most of the activity - I didn’t finish the activity
solved all the main and solved most of the main and didn’t solve the
Passage Analysis
3 questions and most of the questions and few questions at all.
……. /2
challenging questions. challenging questions.
(2) (1) (0)
- I finished all the activity and - I finished most of the activity - I didn’t finish the activity
solved all the main and solved most of the main and didn’t solve the
calculations
4 questions and most of the questions and few questions at all.
……. /3
challenging questions. challenging questions.
(2) (1) (0)
- I finished all the activity and - I finished most of the activity - I didn’t finish the activity
solved all the main and solved most of the main and didn’t solve the
Direction and units
5 questions and most of the questions and few questions at all.
……. /1
challenging questions. challenging questions.
(2) (1) (0)
Total Mark
8
……. /10

DIPS Motto: Reaching the best potential of every learner in an inclusive, international environment
DIPS Vision: DIPS, in partnership with parents and community, strives to prepare every student to be digitally literate, a lifelong learner, and a productive citizen.
DIPS Mission: DIPS is committed to provide education following international standards yet adhering to local values and traditions.