Friction

Chapter Notes

What is Friction?
 Friction is a force that comes into play when two surfaces meet each
other.

 The Frictional force or the force of Friction acts in the opposite direction
of the motion of the object.

 The force of Friction opposes the relative motion between the surfaces of
two moving objects.

Factors that can affect Friction.

1. The irregularities of a surface: If we move an object with an irregular or
rough surface on another surface which is also irregular, the force of
Friction will be high in this case and the movement of the object would be
restricted.
2. The regularity of a surface or its smoothness: If the surfaces of either
the objects or are smooth, the force of Friction would be less, and the
 object would move easily over the surface. Even smooth surfaces have a
certain irregularity.
3. If two surfaces are pressed hard: the force of Friction increases
between two surfaces if they are pressed hard and hence the movement of
the object becomes restricted. However, if there is no pressure the object
can easily move.

Types of Friction
1. Static Friction: The Frictional force that comes into play until an object
starts moving is called static Friction. An object must overcome the static
Friction force to start its movement.
2. Sliding Friction: Sliding Friction comes into play whenever an object
moves along the surface of another object. Such a movement is called
‘slide’. Hence, sliding Friction is the force that opposes the movement or
slide of an object.
3. Rolling Friction: When an object is rolling on a surface the force of
Friction which acts upon it is called rolling Friction.
4. Fluid Friction: When an object moves in a fluid, the fluid exerts a fluid
Friction upon the object. It is also called air Friction (when the medium of
travel is air) and viscous Friction (when the medium of travel is water).

Rolling Friction < Sliding Friction < Static

Friction

Advantages of Frictional Force

Frictional force is necessary for various purposes in our daily lives such as:
  It allows us to walk on the earth’s surface.

 It allows us to write with a pen on a surface or a paper.

 It allows us to fix a nail in the wall.

 A moving object would never be able to come to the state of rest without
the Frictional force.

 It would not be possible to drive any automobiles on the road without the
Friction force.

 It would not be possible to construct any buildings without the Frictional

force.

Disadvantages of Frictional Force

 Frictional force results in wear and tear of objects such as the moving
parts of a machine, the tires of a vehicle, sole of the shoes etc.

 It also results in the production of heat. In the case of machines, the

production of heat leads to wastage of energy.

 The Frictional force also leads to a decrease in the speed of a moving

object, or some time stops it.

 It can lead to noise pollution in certain cases. For instance, aircraft

produce loud sound due to the resistance of the air.

How can we reduce or increase Friction?

Increasing Friction: Sometimes we need to increase Friction to avoid slipping of
objects, for example:
1. The sole of the shoes is grooved so that the Friction between our feet and
ground increases and we can walk safely.
 2. The tires are treaded so that they can have a better grip over the ground
and allow the smooth movement of the vehicles.

3. Brake pads are used in bikes to stop them suddenly from moving by
increasing the amount of Friction.

4. Kabaddi players rub their hands with soil which helps in increasing the
Friction between the hands and allows them to have an easy grip of the
opponent.

5. Gymnasts also apply a coarse substance so that they can have a better grip
due to increased Friction in their hands.

Reducing Friction: Sometimes to have a smooth movement of an object we

need to reduce Friction. For example,
 The powder is sprinkled over the carrom board to decrease the Friction
between the board’s surface and the striker. In this way, the surface of
the carrom board becomes smooth.

 Grease is used in bicycles and other motors or different parts of a

machine to reduce Friction and increase their efficiency.

 Oil is applied on the hinges of the door so that they can move easily.

Applying substances like oil, grease or powder allows smooth movement as they
block the irregularities of a surface. The substances that can reduce the amount
of Friction between different objects are called lubricants. However, we can never
reduce Friction to a level of zero. There are always some irregularities present on
the surface.
How wheels reduce Friction?
 We know that when an object rolls over a surface rolling Friction is
produced which resists its motion on the surface. However, its magnitude
is lesser than the static and sliding Friction.

 Wheels are circulating objects that turn around a center point.

 The wheels allow an object to roll over a surface rather than allowing
them to slide over the surface.

 This results in less Friction and hence easy movement of the object.

 Rolling Friction is also used in the parts of machines that are moving
continuously.

 In this way, the sliding Friction is removed with the help of rolling
Friction and therefore the adverse effects of Friction such as the
production of heat or wear and tear of the mechanical parts are also
reduced.

 For instance, ball bearings are being used in fans and bicycles to reduce
Friction.
Fluid Friction

Air, water, and other liquids collectively are called fluids. They also exert a
Frictional force on the object that travels through them. Such a Friction is called
fluid friction or drag. The amount of Frictional force by a fluid on an object
depends upon the following:

1. The speed of the object with respect to the fluid.

2. The nature of the fluid, its viscosity, or its tendency to resist the flow.

3. The shape of the object.

Fluid Friction comprises Internal and External Friction:

  Fluids comprise of internal Friction that occurs between the molecules of
a liquid as they are also in motion. The viscosity of a liquid, therefore,
depends upon the internal Friction.

 An external Friction in fluids is the force exerted by the fluid on the

object that flows through it.

As an object travels in a fluid it loses its energy to overcome the fluid

Friction. Hence, things that can easily flow in fluids have special shapes.
 For instance, ships and boats have a particular shape that allows them to
resist fluid Friction.

 Birds and airplanes have a specific shape that allows them to fly in the
air.

 Fish also have a specific shape such as a tail and fins that allow them to
swim continuously in water and even prevent the loss of energy due to
fluid Friction.

 Not only this, but all the vehicles are also designed in a way that they
can resist the fluid Friction because air is present everywhere.