Tabletop Surface Lab

In labs 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3, the connection between the force of gravity and the type of surface was tested through a series of experiments. In lab 4.1, the force of gravity was tested through various surface types, including: tabletop, waxed paper, paper towel, fine sandpaper, and coarse sand paper. In lab 4.2, two different surface types that were tested included: tabletop and coarse sand paper. This lab compared the two averages between both tabletop and coarse sandpaper using different amounts of blocks. In lab 4.3, the surface area of the blocks sliding across a flat surface was weighed using a spring scale. In all of these labs, the conclusion is that friction is conducted by the sliding of the force in newtons and the surface the object is slid upon. To begin, in lab 4.1, the lab included a series of tests of friction using various surface types. There were four trials that was incorporated in this experiment. For example, on the tabletop surface, the average of four trials in newtonian force is 0.75N. On the waxed paper surface, the average of the force in newtons is 0.8125N. On the paper towel, the average force is 1.25N. On the fine sandpaper, the average that was found in the experiment was 1.75N. Finally, the last average on the coarse sandpaper was two newtons. From this data, the conclusion is that each
different surface type has a different force of friction between the block and the surface. Next, in lab 4.2, the lab compared the force of friction between two surface types: tabletop and coarse sandpaper. This lab was conducted using three trials and increases of newton's using a multiple amount of blocks. For one block on the tabletop, the average force was one newton. However, for one block on the coarse sandpaper, the average was 1.5N. For two blocks on the tabletop, the average from the three trials is 1.79N. In contrast, for two blocks on the coarse sandpaper, the average from the trials was 2.63N. For three blocks on the tabletop, the average force was 2.29N. Although, with three blocks in the coarse sandpaper, the average force is 4.25N. Finally, with four blocks on the tabletop, the average is 3.75N. However, the average on the coarse sandpaper using four blocks is 6.25N. From this experiment, the conclusion is that on different surfaces, there are different averages in newtons. The mass of the objects also have an affect on how much the blocks weigh on the spring scale. Finally, in lab 4.3, the lab taught how the surface area of an object “affects” the friction force. In the lab, the data that was gathered from a video clip. The video included a series of tasks using surface areas of different amounts of blocks. In trial one, the surface area was tested with an area of 1 and the force was 2N. In trial two, the surface area was tested with an area of 2 and the force of friction is 2N. In trial three, the surface area was tested with a 3 block area and the force was 2N. Finally, trial fours outcome from 4 blocks in surface area came out to 2N. From this data, the outcome came to the conclusion that surface area does not change the force of friction; the amount of blocks changes the force of friction. Overall, the data acquired from these labs conclude that friction is the force that comes from two objects in contact.
In lab 4.1, the factor of friction came from the different surfaces. The surface that an object is in contact is crucial to the movement of that object. In lab 4.2, the data that was acquired showed that the weight and mass of an object affects friction along with the surface type. In lab 4.3, the surface area in an object does not matter, but the weight and mass of the object counts. Throughout these three labs, the lesson that was learned is that friction is controlled by the weight and mass of an object in contact with a
base.