It has been noted that the static friction force poses challenges for students and, at times, even their instructors. Unlike the gravitational force, which has a precise and unambiguous magnitude (FG = mg), the magnitude and direction of the static friction force depend on other forces at play. Friction can be understood rather well in terms of complicated atomic-scale interactions between surfaces. Ringlein and Robbins survey aspects of the atomic origins of friction, and Folkerts explores factors that affect the value of static friction. However, what students typically encounter in an introductory course ignores the atomic origins of friction (beyond perhaps a brief overview of the atomic model). The rules of dry friction (i.e., non-lubricated surfaces in contact) taught in introductory physics were originally published in 1699 by Guillaume Amontons. Amontons’s first law states that the force of friction is directly proportional to the applied load, i.e., f = μFN, where FN is the normal force and μ is the coefficient of friction. His second law states that the force of friction is independent of the macroscopic area of contact. These laws were verified by Coulomb in 1781.
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February 2018
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February 01 2018
The Indeterminate Case of Classical Static Friction When Coupled with Tension Available to Purchase
Kenneth D. Hahn;
Kenneth D. Hahn
John Brown University
, Siloam Springs, AR
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Jacob M. Russell
Jacob M. Russell
John Brown University
, Siloam Springs, AR
Search for other works by this author on:
Kenneth D. Hahn
John Brown University
, Siloam Springs, AR
Jacob M. Russell
John Brown University
, Siloam Springs, ARPhys. Teach. 56, 83–87 (2018)
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Kenneth D. Hahn, Jacob M. Russell; The Indeterminate Case of Classical Static Friction When Coupled with Tension. Phys. Teach. 1 February 2018; 56 (2): 83–87. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.5021433
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