Friction

Friction is the force exerted by two surfaces sliding (or attempting to slide) across one another. When you try to push a book across the floor, for example, friction makes it harder. Friction always acts in the opposite direction from where the thing is going or attempting to move.

Friction is one of four forces acting on a body, including tension, compression, and shear. The amount of friction between two surfaces can be determined by measuring their coefficient of static frictional force (CSFF) or friction coefficient.

As they are pushed to slide against each other, friction causes a rise in temperature and wear on both surfaces.

The ratio of the frictional force preventing motion of two surfaces in contact to the normal force pressing the two surfaces together is known as the coefficient of friction. The Greek letter mu (μ) is generally used to represent it. μ = FN, where F is the frictional force and N is the normal force, is the mathematical formula.

Friction is found in various ordinary circumstances, such as sliding your hand across a table’s surface or rolling your automobile down the street. Friction also allows us to walk on ice without slipping and helps us keep our footing on a wet floor.

Friction also opposes changes in speed and opposes the application of a force.

Friction is used to make various friction products, including brakes, clutches, and gears. The Friction generated between two surfaces can be measured by force needed to keep them apart or the torque resulting from it.

The friction coefficient is a dimensionless quantity that quantifies how much Friction exists between two objects sliding past each other.

Types of Friction:

Some of the kinds of Friction are:

– Static Friction: 

Static Friction is the most familiar type because it occurs when two objects are in contact, but one or both things are not moving relative to each other. When an object comes into contact with a surface at rest (not moving), it will experience a static frictional force (also called standard or Coulomb friction) opposite the direction of the applied force. Friction is a force that prevents two objects or materials from moving in the same direction. Molecular adhesion, surface roughness, and deformations are the sources of this resistive force.

Static Friction is the Friction between two surfaces in a fixed system. It opposes the relative motion between two solid objects.

Friction occurs when molecules on the surface of one object try to move through the molecules on the surface of another thing. When they do not move easily due to their shape or chemical properties, they stick and create a force called adhesion which resists further movement

– Kinetic Friction: 

A force that acts between moving surfaces is referred to as kinetic friction. A body moving on the surface is subjected to a force that opposes its progress. The size of the force will be determined by the kinetic friction coefficient between the two materials.

This type of Friction is caused by the application of mechanical force on an object to resist its motion. This type of Friction is often used in mechanisms and machines that use gears, belts, or pulleys to transmit power or perform work.

Friction is a factor in many different types of movement, such as rolling Friction, sliding Friction, and fluid Friction. The kinetic friction coefficient μk is defined as the ratio of friction force to normal force experienced by a body moving on a dry, non-smooth surface.

The Friction between two surfaces is determined by the magnitude and direction of their normal forces, surface area, and coefficient of Friction.

Causes for Friction:

Friction is caused by the contact between two surfaces in contact with each other. Friction can be found in many places, but one place where it can easily be seen is when you try to move your hand across a surface that has a rough texture, like a tabletop or even your arm hair, if you have any.

There are many causes of Friction, including:

– Surface roughness

– Surface temperature

– Material properties

– Force magnitude

Factors affecting Friction:

The factors affecting Friction are:

The smoothness of the sliding object:

When compared to rough surfaces, smooth surfaces move over them more readily. On a microscopic scale, irregularities can be seen. The sliding between the surfaces is hampered by these imperfections. As a result, the more the roughness, the higher the friction.

The smoothness of the surface:

Perfectly smooth surfaces are impossible to achieve. Each surface will be rough in its own way. Friction is created when this roughness is paired with the roughness of the sliding object.

The force between the two bodies in the normal direction (perpendicular to sliding direction):

The force acting in the normal direction (perpendicular to the sliding plane) increases the friction between the surfaces. As a result, friction is proportional to the normal force applied. [f = μ* N, where is the friction coefficient]

The roughness of the sliding object:

 When an object slides on a surface with high Friction, it experiences a large amount of resistance, and the distance travelled by the object is small. When an object slides on a surface with low Friction, it experiences very little resistance and travels a long distance before coming to rest.

Conclusion:

Friction is caused by the interaction between two surfaces in contact. Friction increases the temperature and wear of both surfaces as they are forced into sliding against each other. The amount of friction between two surfaces can be determined by measuring their coefficient of static frictional force (CSFF) or dynamic frictional force (DF). Kinetic Friction is a force that resists motion. It is the result of two surfaces rubbing against each other. The Friction between two surfaces is determined by the magnitude and direction of their normal forces,and coefficient of Friction. The application of Friction is found in many different fields, including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering and even everyday life.