Static Friction Definition

In physics, static friction is a type of friction that is defined as the amount of force that keeps an object at rest. At the same time, friction is defined as the force that resists an object’s movement.

There are a few laws of static friction listed below that will determine if the friction is static or not!

  • The maximum force of static friction is not dependent on distance or the area covered by an object.

  • The relationship between static friction and normal force is comparatively equal to each other. For instance, if the normal force rises, the highest external force that can be ensured by an object without moving also rises.

 

Table of Contents

Formula of Static Friction

To find the value of static friction, you can use the formula listed below:

Fs = µsN

Where,

Fs = Static Friction of an object

µs = Static Friction coefficient

N = Normal Force

Note:

If you want to calculate  static friction, you can use our Static Friction Calculator.

Example

For a more precise understanding of static friction force, let us solve an example below:

Suppose if a normal force of 350 N is applied on an object, whereas 0.5 is the coefficient of friction, then find out the static friction of an object.

Given data

Normal force = 350 N
Coefficient of the friction = 0.5

To Find

Static friction of an object = ?

Solution

To find out the static friction of an object, we will use the formula listed below:

Fs = µsN

Putting values in the formula:

Fs = 350N x 0.5 = 175 N
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