Rolling Friction

By R.ARAVINDH KUMAR
 What is Friction?
• Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid
surfaces, fluid layers, and material elements sliding against
each other.
• Friction is what happens when any two things rub against
each other.
 Examples of Friction
1. Rubbing: Rubbing your hands together
to create warmth

2. Tire Traction: The friction between the

tires and the surface of the road that
allows your car to accelerate, slow down,
and negotiate turns and corners

3. A hammer hitting a nail

 Friction Factors
• The amount of friction depends on these 2
factors:
• 1. Roughness of the surfaces
• 2. The force pushing the surfaces together.
 Friction
Sliding Factors
Friction: Activity 3.5
Review
1. Roughness – The rougher the
surface, the more hills and valleys
there are and the greater the friction.

2. Force pushing together/weight –

Force is increased, the hills and valleys
will be in closer contact and friction will
increase.
 What are the different types of
Friction?
• Following are the different types of friction:
1. Static Friction
2. Dynamic Friction
a. Sliding Frcition
b. Rolling Friction
3. Fluid Friction
 Dry Friction or Coulomb Friction

If the two surfaces (which are in contact)

are non lubricated and have direct contact
between the surfaces, then the friction
between the surfaces is called Dry or
Coulomb Friction
 Types of Dry Frictions
STATIC FRICTION

The frictional force experienced by the surface

that is in contact with a fixed surface while it is in
static condition under the action of external
forces.

Example:

Limiting Friction
 Types of Dry Frictions
DYNAMIC OR KINETIC FRICTION

The frictional force experienced by the surface of a body that

is in contact with a fixed surface moving over it. A rotor
supported in bearing experiences dynamic friction.

SLIDING FRICTION

The friction experienced by a body when it slides over an

another.

ROLLING FRICTION

The friction experienced by a body when it rolles overs a

surface.
 Rolling Friction

• When an object rolls across a surface, rolling

friction occurs.
• Rolling friction is easier to overcome than
sliding friction for similar materials.
• This type of friction is important to engineers
who design certain products.
• For example, skates, skateboards, and bicycles
need wheels that move freely.
 Rolling Friction
• Rolling frictional force is a force that slows down the motion of
a rolling object.
• Basically it is a combination of various types of frictional forces
at point of contact of wheel and ground or surface.
• When a hard object moves along a hard surface then static and
molecular friction force retards its motion.
• When soft object moves over a hard surface then its distortion
makes it slow down.
• A car will eventually come to a stop if just allowed to roll as the
friction between the road surface and the wheels causes
friction that causes the vehicle to stop.
ROLLING FRICTION
ROLLING FRICTION
 Laws of Rolling Friction

• Here are some laws of rolling friction acting on a

round object rolling on a surface
• Directly proportional to the normal load
• Inversely proportional to the radius of curvature

• Decreases as the surface roughness is reduced, i.e.,

less for smoother surfaces
 Laws of Rolling Friction

• The direction of Rolling friction is tangential at the point

of contact between the roller and the surface over which
it rolls,

• The magnitude of Rolling friction is inversely proportional

to the radius of the rolling body.

• Rolling friction is very much less than sliding friction and

hence roller bearings are called anti-friction bearings.
ROLLING FRICTION
 Rolling Friction Equation
Consider an object of mass m rolling over a horizontal surface. Its
weight is given by mg, where g is the acceleration due to
gravity. According to Newton’s laws of motion, the object’s
weight will be balanced by the normal force FL.
FL = mg
• Also, from laws of friction, the rolling frictional force FR is
proportional to the normal load.
FR ∝ FL Or, FR = μR mg
• The constant of proportionality is called the coefficient of
rolling friction. It takes a constant value depending on the
nature and material of the surfaces. It is unitless and
dimensionless, whereas the unit of rolling friction is Newton or
N. For example, the coefficient of rolling friction between the
tire and road is 0.7 for dry road and 0.4 for the wet road.
 Advantages of Rolling Friction

• Here are some advantages of rolling friction.

• Reduces the friction between an object and a surface, i.e.,

lower than sliding friction
• Allows an object to move smoothly over a surface
• Allows an object to roll up a hill

• Luggage fitted with wheels roll easily

 Points to Remember
• Friction is a force which tends to slow down or stop the
moving bodies.
• Friction opposes the relative motion between the two
surfaces in contact.
• Friction is caused due to interlocked irregularities of the
surfaces in contact.
• Friction depends on how hard the two surfaces pressed
together, and how rough they are.
• Without friction, no bodies will move. Moving bodies will not
stop either.
• Static friction does not allow the surfaces in contact to start
slide upon one another when they are at rest.
Thank You