Bin Ham School for Basic and Secondary Education (252)

Grade-9A Physics Trimester-2

Chapter: 5 Displacement and Force in Two Dimensions
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Worksheet-4
Refer to the passage below to answer questions 4–6.

All surfaces, however flat and smooth they appear, are really very rough on a microscopic level.
Thus, two surfaces in contact are really in contact at only a few of the high points on each surface.
According to a molecular theory of kinetic and static friction, molecules on one surface bond to
molecules of the other surface. When you push these surfaces relative to each other, these bonds
break so that the two surfaces can move.

1. Does the above theory explain why the coefficient of static friction is greater than the coefficient
of kinetic friction? Explain your answer.
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2. Does the above theory explain why the coefficient of kinetic friction does not depend on the
speed of the surfaces? Explain.
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3. Does the above theory explain why the force of friction does not depend on the area of contact?
Explain.
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 Bin Ham School for Basic and Secondary Education (252)
Grade-9A Physics Trimester-2
Chapter: 5 Displacement and Force in Two Dimensions
KEY
1. Yes; when two surfaces are in contact (static), their molecules have more of a chance to bond
than they would if they were in motion (kinetic), resulting in a greater frictional force.
2. Yes; the time involved in molecular bonding is negligible when compared to the motion of the
respective surfaces.
3. No; according to this theory, a greater surface area would result in a correspondingly greater
frictional force as it would provide more points of bonding for the surface molecules.