Static coefficient versus kinetic coefficient of friction

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around understanding the implications of static and kinetic coefficients of friction on acceleration in a lab context. Participants are exploring scenarios where these coefficients are equal, zero, or differ, and how these conditions affect the motion of an object on a surface.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are questioning the relationship between friction coefficients and acceleration, considering cases where coefficients are equal to zero or each other. There is an exploration of what conditions lead to acceleration, deceleration, or rest.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided interpretations of the original poster's question, suggesting various scenarios and the forces involved. There is an ongoing exploration of how different coefficients affect the required force for acceleration, but no consensus has been reached on specific outcomes.

Contextual Notes

Participants express confusion regarding the specifics of the lab setup, including the surface type and the nature of the forces applied. This uncertainty may influence their reasoning about the problem.

slayerdeus
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I have a lab question that I'm confused about:

What can you say about acceleration if the:

a) static coefficient = kinetic coefficient = 0
b) static coefficient = kinetic coefficient does not equal 0
c) static coefficient is greater than kinetic coefficient
 
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I'm also confused, as I have no idea what lab you're doing. Is something rolling on a hill, up, down, or on a level surface? What exactly are you having problems with, etc, etc...?
 
slayerdeus said:
I have a lab question that I'm confused about:

What can you say about acceleration if the:

a) static coefficient = kinetic coefficient = 0
b) static coefficient = kinetic coefficient does not equal 0
c) static coefficient is greater than kinetic coefficient


The first one sounds as if it should be a frictionless surface (ie no friction).

For the answers, are you looking for stuff like, the object is accelerating, deccelerating, or the object is at rest? I'm not sure what kind of answer you are looking for, but it seems to me if the 0 < kinetic = static, I would think the object is accelerating and for the last one, I would think the object would slow down until coming to a rest or something like that.

Does that sound right to anyone else?
 
slayerdeus said:
I have a lab question that I'm confused about:

What can you say about acceleration if the:

a) static coefficient = kinetic coefficient = 0
b) static coefficient = kinetic coefficient does not equal 0
c) static coefficient is greater than kinetic coefficient

I interpret this question to mean:
Suppose an object is initially at rest on a (horizontal) surface.
What can you say about the acceleration of the object, when a sufficiently strong force to accelerate it is applied to to the object?

a) An arbitrarily small force may be applied in order to accelerate it;
the resulting acceleration will also be arbitrarily small.
b) The sufficient force must satisfy [tex]F>\mu_{s}N[/tex] in order to accelerate the object.
We set [tex]F=\mu_{s}N+\delta{F}[/tex], where [tex]\delta{F}[/tex] can be an arbitrarily small force.
We have, since [tex]\mu_{k}=\mu_{s}[/tex] that the net force on the object, is [tex]\delta{F}[/tex] ; i.e. the resulting acceleration can be made as small as one wish for.

c) The net force is now:
[tex](\mu_{s}-\mu_{k})N+\delta{F}[/tex] that is, the minimum initial acceleration is [tex]a_{min}=(\mu_{s}-\mu_{k})g[/tex]
 

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