UNDERSTANDING FRICTION

From: triboscience.weebly.com
What is friction ?
Friction is a force that opposes motion between two surfaces that are
touching. Frictional force always opposes motion, trying to stop the
movement of one surface over another.


Friction in everyday life
Human beings able to walk or run.
In cold weather, we are able to keep our hands warm by rubbing
them against each other.
Rubbing a matchstick to produce fire.

What causes friction
Even though a surface may look
smooth, if you magnify the surface
it isnt smooth.
There are tiny peaks and valleys also
called as asperities or you can say
irregularities on the surface which
weld together to the counterpart
material whenever the two surfaces
come in contact. This phenomenon
causes friction.

Types of friction
There are four types of friction:
1. Static friction
2. Sliding friction
3. Rolling friction
4. Fluid friction
Static friction
When a force is applied on an object
to move it but it doesnt moves, as
the force applied is balanced by the
force of static friction, then this is
called static friction. It ends with the
beginning of sliding of the object at
rest.
A simple example for static friction is
a moving a sofa. Unless sufficient
force is exerted, the sofa will not
slide because static friction holds it
place and resists sliding.
Sliding friction
Sliding Friction is the force that
opposes the motion of two surfaces
sliding past each other. Once a body
starts sliding the sliding friction is
reduced. It is less than static friction.
A simple example would be, a
person is skiing through on the
mountains, then it is a sliding
friction.


Rolling friction
It is the resistance that occurs when
a round object such as a ball or tire
rolls on a flat surface. Rolling friction
is much less than the sliding friction.
A simple example for rolling friction
is a car with its wheels moving or
the roller skates which we use for
skating.


Fluid friction
The friction caused by an object
moving through something that
engulfs it in a fluid. It opposes
motion between objects traveling
through fluids like air and water.
An airplane and a swimmer both
experience fluid friction.

How can we increase or reduce friction ?
Increase:
1. Make the surface rougher
2. Increase the force on the objects

Decrease:
1. Use a lubricant
2. Switch from sliding to rolling friction
3. Smooth the surfaces


Friction a necessary evil
Friction is very important but it is very harmful too. As it acts all the
time so it reduces the speed of the body in motion. For this additional
force has to be applied from time to time to maintain motion and
speed. For this, more energy or fuel is consumed so it results in the
waste of energy.
An object in motion over a surface gets heated on running at a speed
and for a long distance. For this we have to adopt the cooling
systems. Sometimes even the fire accidents in cars and trains take
place because of too much frictional force.
So even if friction is very helpful for us, it is dangerous too that is why
it is also called necessary evil.

Laws of friction
There are three main laws of friction:
1. The Friction force is directly proportional to the Applied Load (W)
2. The Friction force is independent of Apparent Area of Contact (A)
3. The Friction force is independent of the Sliding Velocity (V)

Friction mechanisms
Adhesion Theory - Contact between surfaces results due to cold
welding of asperities where they touch.
Ploughing Theory - When a hard asperity ploughs a groove in a softer
counter face, friction results from the resistance to deformation of
the softer material.
Composite Theory - Friction is the result of a combination of
adhesion and ploughing.
References
Tribology notes by Dr. Martin Preist, University of Leeds, Leeds,
UK
Google images no copyright images used
Slideshare.net
Wikipedia
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