Measuring the Coefficient of Kinetic Friction by Exploring Dynamics of Rotational Motion

Measuring the coefficients of static, kinetic, and rolling friction are typical experimental tasks for physics students. These coefficients depend on many factors that are difficult to control and so results may vary depending on the method used. We present a novel method of measuring the coefficient of kinetic friction. This method is based on the exploration of the dynamics of rotational motion and makes use of standard physics lab apparatus and procedures. We will focus on the coefficient of kinetic friction and will show that there is good agreement between the values of the coefficient when measured by either the traditional linear motion method or this new rotational technique.