Physics Lab Report 4

Physics & Engineering Lab Administration

Lab 4: Force Evaluation

Student Handout

The Project: Force Evaluation

PELA is designing a new lab space to test prototypes for future projects, and needs to evaluate a series of

frictional and force properties of the equipment that will be used in the lab’s construction. PELA needs to

be able to select materials with appropriate frictional properties to prevent unwanted sliding, slipping,

and tipping.

Using your skills and Physics concepts you are asked to characterize a set of potential materials to be used in the construction of this new lab. Frictional properties of materials must be characterized for

both static and kinetic conditions.

Your team has now been hired to characterize the frictional properties of materials.

List all the tools used in simuation:

● Inclined plane

● Block with various surface areas and surface materials

● Include if any

The Requirements:

In order to demonstrate that you have a full understanding of the frictional and force properties of the

new lab equipment, we ask that you use visual odometry to execute the following:

1. Evaluate the forces acting on the object and experimentally determine the static and kinetic coefficients of friction between both surfaces of the provided block and the inclined plane.

2. Characterize the dependence of the coefficients of friction on the surface area of contact.

Presentation of the solution:

You must prepare a report summarizing the results of the project. The report must include the following:

● A description of the basic physics principles used in your project, including equations and diagrams used to calculate the frictional properties of the materials and evaluate the force

acting in a circular motion. Any combination of data, graphs, pictures, etc demonstrating how the static and kinetic coefficients were determined