Phone Book Friction Demo

 

Code Number: 1K20.25

Demo Title: Phone Book Friction

Condition: Excellent

Principle: Surface Area and Friction

Area of Study: Mechanics

Equipment: 

Phone Book Friction Demo.

Procedure:

Have several people grab a handle and try to pull the interlaced phone books apart.  As the frictional surface area of the interlaced pages is several orders of magnitude above that of an 18 wheeler the phone books will not come apart.  

You can easily lift small children by having them hang from one of the handles.

References:

  • Francisco Vera, Nicolas Fernandez, and Manuel Ortiz, "A Simple Alternative to the Phone Book Friction Demonstration", TPT, Vol. 56, #6, Sept. 2018, p. 370.
  • Jang-Long Lin, Meng-Fei Cheng, Jih-Yuan Chang, Hsin-Lin Huang, Ying-Chi Chang, Hsiao-Wen Li, and Deng-Min Lin, "Science Magic for Inquiry-Based Instruction about Friction - Powerful Paper Ring and Powerful Book", TPT, Vol. 52, #7, Oct. 2014, p. 436.
  • Dave Van Domelen, "Author's Response", TPT, Vol. 48, #9, Dec. 2010, p. 564.
  • Evan Jones, "Amontons' Laws", TPT, Vol. 48, #9, Dec. 2010, p. 564.
  • David Van Domelen, "Showing Area Matters: A Work of Friction", TPT, Vol. 48, #1, Jan. 2010, p. 28.
  • Martin Gardner, "Shuffled Pages", TPT, Vol. 39, #3, Mar. 2001, p. 178.
  • Kari Dalnoki-Veress, Thomas Salez, and Frédéric Restagno, "Why Can't You Separate Interleaved Books?", Physics Today, Vol. 69, #6, June 2016, p. 74.
  • Martin Gardner, "24, Shuffled Pages", Smart Science Tricks, p. 41.