Influence of sliding speed and normal force on dry and wet friction: an experimental study

Friction is a complex phenomenon that is often simplified in introductory physics courses, leading to the exclusion of many interesting effects. Wet friction, for instance, is rarely discussed in the physics curriculum, despite its relevance in everyday life. This paper presents an experiment in which we measured the sliding friction coefficient under both dry and wet conditions. We also investigated the effects of sliding speed and normal load on friction. The proposed experiment is affordable and readily adaptable to other educational purposes.