How does the mass of an object pulled along a horizontal surface affect the following parameters?

force of static friction
force of kinetic friction
coefficient of static friction
coefficient of kinetic friction

1 answer

The mass of an object does not affect the force of static friction or the coefficient of static friction. The force of static friction is the force required to overcome the initial resistance to motion between two surfaces in contact, and is independent of the mass of the object. The coefficient of static friction is a constant value that depends on the materials of the two surfaces in contact, and is not affected by the mass of the object.

On the other hand, the force of kinetic friction does depend on the mass of the object. The force of kinetic friction is the force required to keep an object moving at a constant velocity along a surface, and is directly proportional to the mass of the object.

Similarly, the coefficient of kinetic friction is also affected by the mass of the object. The coefficient of kinetic friction is a constant value that represents the ratio of the force of kinetic friction to the normal force, and is influenced by the mass of the object.