High-precision measurement of friction coefficient of a curling stone by motion analysis

Abstract

Movement of a curling stone was studied with high-precision digital image analysis in order to obtain the relationship between a friction coefficient and both the translational and angular velocities, using sequential images taken by the camera located on the ceiling. Calibrations to remove lens aberration were done prior to the experiment. Then the friction coefficients were derived from the decrease of the translational velocity, and analyzed with the angular velocity as a parameter. It was found that the friction coefficients become larger when the translational velocity is smaller.