Lesson No.

FRICTION
In the preceding chapters, it was assumed that surfaces in contact were either frictionless or rough. If
they were frictionless, the force each surface exerted on the other was normal to the surfaces and the
two surfaces could move freely with respect to each other. If they were rough, it was assumed that
tangential forces could develop to prevent the motion of one surface with respect to the other. These
tangential forces generated between contacting surfaces are known as friction forces and are present to
some degree with the interaction between all real surfaces.
When two surfaces are in contact, tangential forces, called friction forces, will always develop if one
attempts to move one surface with respect to the other. Whenever a tendency exists for one contacting
surface to slide along another surface, we find that the friction forces developed are always in a direction
to oppose this tendency.

Types of Friction

a. Dry friction.

Dry friction is encountered when the un-lubricated surfaces of two solids are in contact under a
condition of sliding or tendency to slide. A friction force tangent to the surfaces of contact is developed
both during the interval leading up to impending slippage and while slippage takes place. The direction
of the force always opposes the motion or impending motion. This type of friction is called Coulomb
friction.

b. Fluid Friction

Fluid friction is developed when adjacent layers in a fluid ( liquid or gas ) are moving at different
velocities. This motion gives rise to frictional forces between fluid elements, and these forces depend
on the relative velocity between layers. This is treated in the study of fluid mechanics.

c. Internal Friction

Internal friction is found in all solid materials that are subjected to cyclical loading. For highly elastic
materials the recovery from deformation occurs with very little loss of energy caused by internal friction.
For materials which have low limits of elasticity and which undergo appreciable plastic deformations
during loading, the amount of internal friction that accompanies this deformation may be considerable.

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DRY FRICTION

A. Mechanism of Friction.

Consider a solid block of mass m resting on a horizontal surface as shown. The contacting surfaces
possess a certain degree of roughness. The experiment will involve the application of a horizontal force
P which will vary continuously from zero to a value sufficient to move the block and give it an appreciable
velocity. The free body diagram of the block for any value of P is shown, and the tangential friction force
exerted by the plane on the block is labeled F. This friction force will always be in a direction to oppose
motion. There is also a reaction at the point of contact which is the normal force N .

The total normal force N is merely the sum of the vertical components of R’s and the total friction
force is the sum of the x-components of the R’s. When the surfaces are in relative motion, we can see
that the contacts are more nearly along the tops of the lumps, and the x-components of the R’s will be
smaller than when the surfaces are at rest relative to one another. This consideration helps to explain
the well-known fact that the force P necessary to maintain motion is generally less than that required to
start the block when the irregularities are more nearly in mesh.
Suppose that a horizontal force P is applied to the block. If P is small, the block will not move, some
other horizontal force must therefore exist, which balances P. This other force is the static-friction force
F, which is the resultant of forces acting over the entire surface of contact between the block and the
plane up to the point of slippage or impending motion which is the range of static friction, and its value is
determined by the equations of equilibrium. This force may have any value from zero up to and including,
in the limit, the maximum value. This maximum value of static friction Fmax is proportional to the normal
force N.
Fmax =

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Where is the proportionality constant, known as the coefficient of static friction. If P is further
increased, the friction force cannot balance it any more and the block starts sliding. As soon as the block
has been set in motion, the magnitude of F drops from Fmax to a lower value Fk, which is called the kinetic
friction force.
𝐹𝑘 = N
Where is a constant called the coefficient of kinetic friction. Bothe coefficients of friction depend on
the nature of the surfaces in contact.

B. Types of Friction Problems

1. No friction. ( Px = 0 )

The forces applied to the body do not tend to move it along the surface of contact; there is no
friction force.
W ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0
P N – W – P =0
N=W+P

2. No motion ( Px )

The applied forces tend to move the body along the surface of contact but are not large enough
to set it in motion.
W
P 𝑃𝑦 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0
𝑃𝑥 𝑃𝑥 – F = 0 N–W–P=0
F = 𝑃𝑥 F = 𝑃𝑥 N=W+P
𝐹𝑚 = 𝜇𝑠 𝑁 N
Where 𝐹𝑚 = maximum static friction force

3. Motion Impending ( 𝑃𝑥 = 𝐹𝑚 )

The applied forces are such that the body is just about to slide. We say that the motion is
impending.
𝑃𝑦 W ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0
P 𝑁 − 𝑊 − 𝑃𝑦 = 0
𝑃𝑥 𝐹𝑚 𝑁 = 𝑊 + 𝑃𝑦

N ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
𝑃𝑥 − 𝐹𝑚 = 0
𝐹𝑚 = 𝑃𝑥

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 4. Motion ( 𝑃𝑥 )

The body is sliding under the action of the applied forces, and the equations of equilibrium do not
apply any more. F is now equal to 𝐹𝑘 = 𝜇𝑘 𝑁.

𝑃𝑦 W ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0
P 𝑁 = 𝑊 + 𝑃𝑦
𝑃𝑥
𝐹𝑘 ( 𝐹𝑘 < 𝑃𝑥 )
𝐹𝑘 = 𝜇𝑘 𝑁
N

C. Angles of Friction

It is sometimes convenient to replace the normal force N and the friction force F by their resultant R.

a. Motion Impending

W
P Py
Px
𝐹𝑚 = 𝑃𝑥 tan =
N
R
∅ = ∅𝑠

b. Motion

𝐹𝑘 𝜇𝑘 𝑁
𝑃𝑦 W tan ∅𝑘 = =
𝑁 𝑁
P
𝑃𝑥 𝐹𝑘
tan

N R
∅ = ∅𝑘

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Sample Problems:

1. A 100-lb force acts as shown on a 300-lb block placed on an inclined plane. The coefficients
of friction between the block and the plane are = 0.25 and = 0.20. Determine whether
the block is in equilibrium, and find the value of the friction force.

300 lb

100 lb

5 3
4
2. The 50-kg block rests on the horizontal surface, and a force 𝑃 = 200 𝑁, whose direction can
be varied, is applied to the block. (a) If the block begins to slip when 𝜃 is reduced to 30°,
calculate the static coefficient of friction 𝜇𝑠 between the block and the surface. (b) If P is
applied with 𝜃 = 45°, calculate the friction force F.
P

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