Damped oscillations and equilibrium in a mass-spring system subject to sliding friction forces: Integrating experimental and theoretical analyses

Students have difficulty in understanding friction and its associated phenomena. Introductory university courses usually fail to give the topic the attention it deserves and to emphasize the crucial role of friction in establishing mechanical equilibrium as motion ceases. We present an experimental and a theoretical analysis of the periodic motion of a mass-spring system subject to static and kinetic friction forces. Our analysis takes into account the effects of the static friction force on the final mass position.