Graph Between Applied Force And The Force Of Friction

Graph Between Applied Force And The Force Of Friction

Vishal kumarUpdated on 02 Jul 2025, 07:40 PM IST

When studying the interaction between objects, the relationship between applied force and the force of friction is fundamental. Friction is the resistive force that opposes the motion of an object when it moves across a surface. The graph between the applied force and the force of friction reveals how friction responds as more force is applied, often showing initial static friction that must be overcome before the object begins to move. In real life, this concept is evident when pushing a heavy piece of furniture across a floor. Initially, a greater force is required to overcome static friction and get the object moving, but once in motion, the force needed to keep it moving (overcoming kinetic friction) is generally less. Understanding this relationship is crucial not only in physics but also in everyday activities such as driving, where friction between the tyres and the road determines how effectively a car can accelerate or stop.

This Story also Contains

  1. Graph Between Applied Force and the Force of Friction
  2. Solved Examples Based on Graph Between Applied Force and the Force of Friction
  3. Summary

Graph Between Applied Force and the Force of Friction

The relationship between applied force and the force of friction is a key concept in understanding how objects interact with surfaces. Friction is the force that resists the motion of one surface over another, and it plays a crucial role in our daily lives. For instance, when you push a heavy object, like a sofa, across a room, you experience the force of friction firsthand. Initially, you need to apply a significant amount of force to overcome static friction and get the object moving. Once the object is in motion, the force required to keep it moving—overcoming kinetic friction—tends to be lower. The graph depicting this relationship typically shows a rise in friction up to the point where the object starts to move, after which the friction force stabilizes.

At A static friction is the maximum

OA = Represents static friction

Beyond A, the force of friction decreases slightly

2.

The angle between the normal reaction and resultant contact force is called the angle of friction $(\theta)$.

$\begin{aligned} & \tan \theta=\frac{F_l}{R} \\ & \tan \theta=\mu_s \\ & \frac{F_l}{R}=\mu_s \\ & \mathrm{R}=\text { Reaction, } \\ & F_l=\text { Force of limiting friction } \\ & \theta=\tan ^{-1}\left(\mu_s\right)\end{aligned}$

3.


$
\begin{aligned}
& S=\sqrt{F^2+R^2} \\
& S=\sqrt{(\mu m g)^2+(m g)^2} \\
& S=m g \sqrt{\mu^2+1} \\
& \mathrm{~S}=\text { Resultant force } \\
& \mu=\text { Coefficient of friction }
\end{aligned}
$
If $\mu=0, \mathrm{~S}$ (will be minimum), $\therefore \mathrm{S}=\mathrm{mg}$

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Solved Examples Based on Graph Between Applied Force and the Force of Friction

Example 1: Mark the correct statement about friction between two bodies

a) static friction is always greater than kinetic friction

b) The coefficient of static friction is always greater than the coefficient of kinetic friction

c) limiting friction is always greater than kinetic friction

d) limiting friction is never less than static friction

1) b,c,d

2) a,b,c

3) a,c,d

4) a,b,d

Solution:

The graph between Applied Force and Force of Friction

wherein

At A static friction is maximum.

OA = Represents static friction

* Beyond A force of friction decreases slightly

Hence, the answer is the option (1).

Example 2: A force of 100N is just sufficient to pull a block of mass $10 \sqrt{3}$ kg on a rough horizontal surface. What is angle friction? (g=10m/s2)

1) $30^{\circ}$
2) $45^{\circ}$
3) $60^{\circ}$
4) $50^{\circ}$

Solution:

Given

Applied force, $F=100 \mathrm{~N}$
Mass of the block, $m=100 \sqrt{3} \mathrm{~kg}$

As the Force F is just sufficient to pull the block, it must be equal to the limiting friction force.

F.B.D of the block-


$
\begin{aligned}
& N=m g \\
& f_l=F
\end{aligned}
$
Angle of friction $(\theta)$ is defined as-

$
\begin{aligned}
& \tan \theta=\frac{f_l}{N} \\
& \theta=\tan ^{-1} \frac{F}{N}=\frac{100}{100 \sqrt{3}} \\
& \Rightarrow \theta=30^{\circ}
\end{aligned}
$

Hence, the answer is the option (1).

Example 3: A block is placed on a rough horizontal plane. A time-dependent horizontal force $F=k t$ acts on the bock, where k is a positive constant. The acceleration - time graph of the block is :

1)


2)


3)


4)


Solution:

As the block is placed on a rough surface there will act static friction on it will attain its maximum value. After that, the block will start to slide on the surface with acceleration increasing with time.

1) the equation for the block when it is static $\left(\right.$ i.e $\left.t \leq \frac{\mu m g}{k}\right)$

$
\begin{aligned}
& k t=f s \\
& a=0
\end{aligned}
$

2) After it starts sliding $\left(\right.$ i.e $\left.\quad t>\frac{\mu m g}{k}\right)$

$
\begin{aligned}
& k t-\mu m g=a \\
& \frac{d a}{d t}=k
\end{aligned}
$

Hence, the answer is the option (2).

Example 4: Which of the following options correctly describes the variation of the speed v and acceleration ‘a’ of a point mass falling vertically in a viscous medium that applies a force F =−kv, where ‘k’ is a constant, on the body? (Graphs are schematic and not drawn to scale)

1)

2)

3)

4)

Solution:

When the pt. mass will start falling its initial velocity will be O & have maximum acceleration. After the mass has a steady state velocity a = 0 the variation is exponential.

Hence, the answer is the option (2).

Summary

The relationship between applied force and friction is crucial in understanding how objects interact with surfaces. Initially, a significant force is required to overcome static friction and get an object moving, after which the force of friction decreases slightly as it transitions to kinetic friction. This concept is reflected in real-life scenarios like pushing furniture, where the graph shows a peak in friction before movement begins. Understanding this relationship helps in analyzing forces in various practical situations, such as determining the angle of friction or calculating the force needed to move objects on rough surfaces.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can you use this graph to explain why some surfaces feel "sticky" even though they're not adhesive?
A:
Surfaces that feel "sticky" often have a high static friction coefficient, represented by a steep initial slope and a high peak on the graph. This means it takes a significant force to initiate motion, creating the sensation of stickiness, even without actual adhesion. The transition to lower kinetic friction explains why the surface feels less sticky once motion starts.
Q: How would the graph change if the experiment was conducted at a much higher temperature?
A:
At much higher temperatures, the graph might show lower overall friction forces due to changes in material properties. The transition from static to kinetic friction might become less distinct, and the kinetic friction region might show a slight slope due to temperature-dependent effects on the surfaces.
Q: How would the graph change if the contact area between the surfaces increased?
A:
Interestingly, for dry friction between solid surfaces, the graph wouldn't change significantly if only the contact area increased. According to Amontons' laws of friction, friction is independent of apparent contact area. However, in real-world scenarios, a larger area might lead to slight changes due to surface irregularities.
Q: What does the discontinuity (if any) in the slope of the graph represent?
A:
The discontinuity in the slope of the graph, typically seen at the transition from static to kinetic friction, represents the sudden change in the nature of the friction force. It marks the point where the object transitions from being stationary to being in motion.
Q: How can this graph be used to explain the concept of "friction circle" in vehicle dynamics?
A:
While the friction circle isn't directly shown on this graph, understanding the relationship between applied force and friction is crucial for the concept. The friction circle represents the maximum friction force available in any direction, which is analogous to the peak of this graph but in two dimensions.
Q: Can you use this graph to explain why it's generally safer to pump brakes than to hold them constantly during emergency stops?
A:
The graph shows that static friction (peak) is higher than kinetic friction (plateau). Pumping brakes allows the wheels to repeatedly reach the higher static friction region, providing more stopping power. Constant pressure might cause the wheels to lock, keeping them in the lower kinetic friction region.
Q: How would the graph change if the experiment was conducted in a vacuum?
A:
In a vacuum, the graph would likely remain largely the same for solid-on-solid contact. Friction in this case is primarily due to surface interactions, not air resistance. However, the absence of air might lead to slightly different surface conditions (e.g., no moisture), potentially affecting the friction coefficients slightly.
Q: What would cause the graph to show multiple peaks before reaching the kinetic friction region?
A:
Multiple peaks could occur in systems with complex surface interactions or multiple stages of breaking contact. This might be seen in materials with layered structures, where different layers break free at different applied forces, or in systems with multiple points of contact that break sequentially.
Q: How can this graph be used to explain the difference between "gross slip" and "micro slip"?
A:
The graph primarily shows "gross slip" in the kinetic friction region. "Micro slip" would be represented in the early part of the static friction region, where small, localized movements occur before the onset of gross slip. This is part of the pre-sliding displacement phenomenon.
Q: Can you use this graph to explain why friction can sometimes cause vibrations or oscillations in mechanical systems?
A:
The difference between static and kinetic friction shown in the graph can lead to oscillations. As an object starts to move (transitioning to the lower kinetic friction), it may slow down enough to stop (returning to static friction). This cycle can repeat, causing vibrations or stick-slip oscillations.