Enter the normal force (N), the coefficient of friction, and the distance (m) into the calculator to determine the Work Done By Friction. 

Work Done By Friction Formula

The following formula is used to calculate the Work Done By Friction.

Wf = NF * u * D

  • Where Wf is the Work Done By Friction (N-m)
  • NF is the normal force (N) 
  • u is the coefficient of friction 
  • D is the distance (m) 

How to Calculate Work Done By Friction?

The following example problems outline how to calculate the Work Done By Friction.

Example Problem #1

  1. First, determine the normal force (N). In this example, the normal force (N) is given as 150 .
  2. Next, determine the coefficient of friction. For this problem, the coefficient of friction is given as  .75 .
  3. Next, determine the distance (m). In this case, the distance (m) is found to be 30.
  4. Finally, calculate the Work Done By Friction using the formula above: 

Wf = NF * u * D

Inserting the values from above and solving yields: 

Wf = 150 * .75 * 30 = 3375 N-m

Example Problem #2

Using the same method as above, determine the variables required by the equation. For this example problem, these are provided as:

normal force (N) = 140

coefficient of friction = .85

distance (m) = 15

Enter these given values yields:

Wf =140 * .85 * 15 = 1785 (N-m)