What is Acceleration from the Coefficient of Friction and Why Should You Care?
When an object is subjected to both a moving force and friction, the resulting acceleration depends on how these forces interact. This calculator helps you determine the net acceleration by accounting for the frictional resistance opposing the motion.
Formula
$$A = \frac{F - (m \times g \times \mu)}{m}$$
Where:
- A is the acceleration (m/sยฒ or ft/sยฒ)
- F is the moving force applied to the object (N or lbf)
- m is the mass of the object (kg or lb)
- g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/sยฒ or 32.174 ft/sยฒ)
- ฮผ is the coefficient of friction (dimensionless)
Calculation Example
Given:
- Mass of Object: 60 kg
- Coefficient of Friction: 0.75
- Moving Force: 1200 N
Calculation:
$$\text{Frictional Force} = m \times g \times \mu = 60 \times 9.81 \times 0.75 = 441.45 \text{ N}$$
$$\text{Net Force} = F - \text{Frictional Force} = 1200 - 441.45 = 758.55 \text{ N}$$
$$A = \frac{\text{Net Force}}{m} = \frac{758.55}{60} = 12.64 \text{ m/s}^{2}$$
Result: The acceleration is 12.64 m/sยฒ.