Description

This physical science “Force of Friction Practice Problem Set” series features three worksheets for a sum of eleven problems. Problem Sets 1 and 3 are full pages while Problem Set 2 is a one-sided page. I included a legend in a boxed-in header for each practice problem set that reveals the force equations and a breakdown of what each symbol in the equations represent (i.e. the coefficient of kinetic friction, the coefficient of static friction, mass, normal force, Newton, gravitational force, acceleration, and frictional force). I included the units of measurement next to each non-coefficient symbol in the legend. I accented the parenthesized symbols of the force equation components in bold font in the story problems to help orient students with setting up the problems.

In the Force of Friction Problem Set #1, students calculate the magnitude of frictional force they hypothetically need to overcome to pull a square bale of hay out from the barn to the pasture on level ground. Students then calculate the minimum force needed to push a half-full shopping cart forward with a bad wheel stuck sideways. Students then calculate the coefficient of static and kinetic friction between a dresser blocking a floor vent and a hardwood floor.

In the Force of Friction Problem Set #, students calculate the coefficient of static and kinetic friction between a heavy moving box and the floor. Students then calculate the force needed to pull a wooden workbench full of tools across a concrete basement floor.

In the Force of Friction Problem Set #3, students calculate the acceleration of a bar stool pushed across the linoleum kitchen floor to open up a serving area for guests on a kitchen island. Students then determine the acceleration of the milk jug pushed across the dinner table. Students then calculate the coefficient of kinetic friction of a piano pushed with a decreasing acceleration. Finally, students solve for the force needed to move the same piano at a specified positive acceleration.

I included five pages of answer key with the final answers in bold, red font. The digital answer keys show all of the intermediate steps, including the step-by-step process of isolating the unknown variable. In the last step of each answer, I rounded the empirical answer to honor the rules of significant figures.

Each PDF file will become editable upon conversion to Microsoft Word using an Adobe Acrobat Reader app.

This resource complements the following activities about momentum and force of friction in my store:

Momentum and Force of Friction Crossword Puzzle Set
Newton's Laws - Force, Friction and Momentum Unit Test

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Check out my store, Parker's Product for the Sciences, for other engaging science activities.

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