INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH FOR PHYSICS

“ Friction “

By :
Wenimanwati Waruwu 2013021004

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF MATH AND SCIENCE
GANESHA UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION
2021
INTRODUCTION :
1. Friction opposes the relative motion between the two surfaces in contact. It
acts on both the surfaces.
2. Friction depends on the nature of surfaces in contact.
3. Friction is a necessary evil.
4. Friction can be increased or reduced.
5. Fluid friction can be minimized by giving suitable shapes to bodies moving in
fluids.

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A. Friction
Friction is a force that is directed against the motion of an object or the
direction of the object's tendency to move. Friction occurs when two objects
touch. The objects referred to here do not have to be solid, but can also be in the
form of liquid, or gas. The friction force between two solid objects, for example,
is static and kinetic friction, while the force between solids and liquids and gases
is the Stokes force. Friction can be harmful or beneficial. Heat on rotating shafts,
creaking door hinges, and worn shoes are examples of losses caused by friction.
However, without friction, humans cannot move because the movement of their
feet will only slide on the floor. Without friction between the tires and the road,
the car will only slip and not make the car move. Without friction, a parachute
cannot be created. Friction is the accumulation of micro-interactions between the
two surfaces that touch each other. It used to be believed that a smooth surface
would cause the frictional force (or to be precise the coefficient of friction) to be
less than that of a rough surface, but this is no longer the case.

Friction: When one surface moves over another surface, a force comes into
play and opposes their relative motion. This force is called friction or force of
friction. Friction always opposes motion because it acts in the opposite direction
to motion. Force of friction arises due to contact between the two surfaces. If
there is no contact between the two surfaces, there would be no friction. All types
of surface like solid, liquid and air offer the force of friction.

Example:
A moving wheel on the ground stops after covering a certain distance because
surface of ground offers friction in the opposite direction of motion. Gently
push a ball on a table. It stops after moving for some distance because of friction
between the surfaces of ball and table.

B. Factors Affecting Friction

Nature of surfaces in contact : Friction is created because of irregularities
on the surfaces. The irregularities on surfaces result in interlocking of the two
surfaces. The interlocking between two surfaces creates friction. Hence, the force
of friction will be greater in case of rough surface than in case of smooth surface.

Surface irregularities

Pressure Between two Surfaces: The force of friction increases with

increase in pressure between the two surfaces. Moving a heavy box is difficult as
compared to moving a light box. Pressure is higher in case of a heavy box.
Irregularities between surfaces get interlocked tightly because of pressure, and the
surface offers more friction.

C. Type of Friction
There are two main types of friction, static friction and kinetic friction.
Static friction operates between two surfaces that aren't moving relative to each
other, while kinetic friction acts between objects in motion. In liquids, friction is
the resistance between moving layers of a fluid, which is also known as viscosity.
In general, more viscous fluids are thicker, so honey has more fluid friction than
water. The atoms inside a solid material can experience friction as well. For
instance, if a solid block of metal gets compressed, all the atoms inside the
material move, creating internal friction. In nature, there are no completely
frictionless environments: even in deep space, tiny particles of matter may
interact, causing friction.

Static Friction: The force required to overcome friction at the instant an object
starts moving from rest is a measure of static friction.
Sliding Friction: The force required to keep the object moving with the same
speed is called sliding friction. Sliding friction is always lesser than the static
friction. Due to this, it is easier to push a moving box compared to pushing a box
at rest.
Rolling Friction: When an object rolls over the surface of another object, the
resistance to its motion is called rolling friction. Rolling friction is lesser than
sliding friction.

Friction: A Necessary Evil Friction is a necessary evil because it has both

beneficial and harmful effects.
a) Advantages of Friction
 It is not possible to walk on the road in the absence of friction. Walking on
ice is almost impossible because of lack of friction.
 Friction is necessary to keep a ladder against a wall. The ladder will not
find grip against the wall in the absence of friction.
 Soles of shoes have grooves on them. Grooved soles give more friction to
the ground which gives better grip when we walk. Shoes with worn out
soles can be slippery.
 The tyres of vehicles have treads for better grip over road. It provides
friction to the surface of road. When treads are worn out, the tyres need to
be replaced with new one.
 Writing with pen is possible because paper provides friction to the tip of
pen.

b) Disadvantages of Friction
 It results in wear and tear of shoes and tyres, machine parts, clothes, etc.
 When a machine is operated, heat is generated by friction, which results in
wastage of energy. Moreover, a significant amount of energy is wasted in
overcoming friction.

 Increase of friction: Friction is desirable in some situations. Therefore, friction

is increased to accomplish some of the important tasks.
 Ways to Increase Friction:
 Treaded tyres of vehicle increase friction. Vehicle with treaded tyres
provide more friction which gives better grip with the road.
 Soles of shoes are treaded to increase friction between sole and the ground.
This helps in providing better grip on surface while walking.
 Javelin thrower rubs some powder on his palm to get better grip on the
javelin.
 Kabaddi players rub their hands with soil for a better grip of their
opponents.
  Rubber grips are put on bicycle handles, electrical tools and on many other
tools. Increased friction helps in giving better grip on these objects.
 A surface can be made rough with the help of sand paper in order to
increase friction.
 Holding a bottle cap with a thick towel helps in increasing friction.
Increased friction makes it easier to open the bottle cap.
 Reduction of friction
In Some situations, friction is undesirable. We need to reduce it.

 Ways to Reduce Friction

 In the engines of vehicles, use of lubricants increase the efficiency as parts
are not rubbed directly with each other because of thin layer of lubricant.
 In many machines, graphite powder, oil, grease are used as lubricant for
reducing friction.
 Few drops of oil are poured on the hinges of a door for reducing friction,
the door moves smoothly.
 While playing carrom, sprinkle fine powder over it to reduce friction.
 Some machines use air cushion for reducing friction because use of oil is
not ideal in such machines.
 Ball bearing converts sliding friction into rolling friction. Rolling friction
is less than sliding friction. Thus, ball bearing helps in reducing friction.
 Fluid Friction
Gases and liquids are generally known as fluids. Similar to solids, fluids also
provide friction.
 The frictional force offered by fluids is called drag.
 The frictional force on an object in a fluid depends on:
 Speed of object with respect to the fluid
 Shape of object
 Nature of fluid
 Objects which are made to move in fluids are made streamlined shape to
reduce friction offered by fluid.
 Birds and fishes are naturally endowed with streamlined body. Boats and
airplanes are also made streamlined so that they can easily move through
air or water.
 A shape which is pointed on both ends and wide at the middle is called
streamlined shape which facilitates easier movement through fluids.
Jawaban Petanyaan :

AYU
1. There are some factors that affect friction, such as nature of surfaces in
contact and pressure between two surfaces, can you give an example
Answer :
For example, when an object such as a book is placed on a table and is
then subjected to a frictional force, that is what is nature of surfaces in
contact.

For example, when a block is placed on a surface and then the beam is
moved by applying a frictional force, then the beam and the surface will
exert pressure on each other. Moving a large block is more difficult than
moving a light block. Because the pressure and surface offer more friction.

DEVI
2. Previously explained some of the disadvantages of friction, can you
explain how to overcome it?
Answer :
Never rub the object because it makes the object rub with others. addition,
how do we reduce losses from frictional forces, for example Few drops of
oil are poured on the hinges of a door for reducing friction, the door moves
smoothly. And etc.