How Does Gravity Affect Friction in the Sticky-Shoe Lab?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the relationship between gravity and friction as explored in a physics lab known as the "sticky-shoe lab." It is established that increasing the force of gravity enhances friction due to the increased normal force resulting from greater mass. Additionally, introducing a piece of paper between the shoe and the surface reduces the required force to pull the shoe, as the coefficient of friction changes from rubber on a dry surface to paper on a dry surface, resulting in lower friction. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding the materials involved and their properties, such as roughness.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's laws of motion
  • Familiarity with the concepts of friction and normal force
  • Knowledge of coefficients of friction for different materials
  • Basic skills in drawing free body diagrams (FBD)
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the relationship between normal force and friction in physics
  • Learn about the coefficients of friction for various materials, including rubber and paper
  • Study the effects of surface roughness on frictional forces
  • Explore the application of free body diagrams in analyzing forces in physics problems
USEFUL FOR

Students studying physics, particularly those focusing on mechanics, educators teaching concepts of friction and gravity, and anyone interested in experimental physics labs.

anna sung
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Homework Statement



1. what happened to the amount of friction between the surface and the shoe was the force of gravity was increased?

2. when a piece of paper was placed between the shoe and the surface(table), was more force, less force, or the same force needed to pull the shoe?

Homework Equations


we had a lab in physics class. it was called a sticky-shoe lab. these are the questions i need to answer but i am not sure if my answer is correct.


The Attempt at a Solution


1. the amount of friction would increase as the force of gravity increases, because greater force of gravity means more mass . (but i am not sure how to explain that friction will increase also)

2. less force was required to pull the shoe because when a piece of paper was placed beween the shoe and the surface, the coeifficient of firction was no longer dealing with rubber on a dry surface but a sheet of paper (wood?).
( here is it correct to say that the coeifficient of friction became wood on dry surface, and would this result less friction?)

please help me :)
 
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well for the first part assuming that this is all on a horizontal plane then would fn equal fg ? so if friction relies on fn and fn increases then...

i don't see anything wrong with your second answer
 
sorry about late reply.
my internet's too slow.
anyways thanks for checking over my question. do you think i could write some more to that question. and i don't know if i am wrong but answers to those two question seems very similar. do you think there is any more stuff i could write down to elaborate more?
 
if you want to elaborate more about the 2nd part talk about the natures of the materials like roughness and compare them to objects like a zipper

the first part you could do a net force statement and FBD to demonstate
 
okay thank you so much! :)
 

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