6.
Force, Motion & Friction
There are many things that move in different directions. Some things move up and down
and others from right to left, in circles, or in many other directions. There are objects that
move slowly, quickly, or in between. Some objects move on their own, and there are other
objects that need help to move. No matter how things move, whether it is an object, a
person, or an animal, this movement is called motion.
Motion is movement from one place to another. For example, when two people sit on a
see-saw they cause it to move up and down. One person will be in the air; the other person
will be on ground level, and then they will switch places or positions. Position is the place
where a person or object is located. If the position changes, it is movement or motion.
Speed is how fast a person or object moves. Many things that
move, though, cannot move on their own. The push or pull to get
an object to move is called force.
While pushing and pulling is usually easy to do, there is something
that sometimes makes it more difficult. Friction is the resistance
of motion when an object rubs against and acts in the opposite direction of another
object. For example, when riding a bike, a person pedals, the wheels move, and the tires
move across the road or sidewalk. The tires rubbing along the concrete will eventually
cause the bike to slow down and stop moving due to friction.
Friction causes a second object to lose energy by slowing
its motion. The energy does not disappear, but it changes
from moving energy, which is called kinetic energy to heat
energy or thermal energy. When a person rubs his hands
together friction is generated and then it turns into heat.
This is why cold hands become warm after rubbing them
together. This is also called kinetic friction.
Friction can be found anywhere objects come into contact
with each other. The brakes of a car cause friction between
the brake pads and the wheels of the car, allowing the car to come to a stop. A person
running on a sidewalk may stop quickly because of friction caused between the bottom
of the shoes and the asphalt or concrete.
However, other variables can lessen the effects of friction. For instance, if the same person
running tries to stop on a water-covered sidewalk, friction would be less and the runner
may not be able to stop as quickly, and in some cases may fall. This is similar to a car
trying to stop on an ice-covered roadway. The friction is still there, but it is much less and
may lead to accidents. Also, during rain, there is still friction between the brakes and the
wheels, yet if the brakes are wet, the wheels would not be as much in contact with the
ground. As a result, cars hydroplane (lose braking control) when they go too fast on
puddles of water.
There are times when friction needs to be prevented so things will move more easily.
Lubricants like grease and oil can help reduce friction between two objects. Engines and
machines use grease and oil to reduce friction and wear so they can last much longer.
Friction can also be reduced by using a ball or wheel on certain objects. This is called
rolling friction. Changing the types of materials that come in contact with each other is
another way of preventing friction. A good example is the use of roller skates on a
concrete surface, ice skates on a lake covered with ice, or wearing rubber shoes on a wet
sidewalk.
Besides dry friction, as discussed in some of the examples up to now, there is also static
friction when objects are not moving such as when touching a metal surface and feeling
a shock. When friction involves a fluid or air it is called fluid friction. The air resistance
on an airplane, water resistance on a boat, and the slides at water parks are examples of
fluid friction.
Finally, the two main factors that influence the total amount of friction include the
roughness of the objects' surfaces and the force applied between the two objects. The
measure of friction or its coefficient is based on the roughness of the materials that come
in contact with each other. For example, concrete on concrete has a very high coefficient
of friction, and the Teflon surfaces of pots and pans have a low coefficient because it is a
surface where most things do not stick.
In summary, friction is the resistance of motion when an object rubs against and acts in
the opposite direction of another object. There are different types of friction such as
kinetic friction, dry friction, rolling friction, static friction, and fluid friction. Common
examples of friction are the brakes on a car, ice skates, and wearing rubber shoes on a
wet surface. Roughness and force of objects are factors of friction, and the coefficient of
friction is a measure of how easily an object moves in relation to another.
A. Select the correct answer.
1. Which of the following is the movement of objects or people?
Position, Motion, Speed, Friction
2. Which of the following is the place where a person or object is located?
Motion, Force, Friction, Position
3. Which of the following is how fast or slow an object or person moves?
Force, Position, Speed, Friction
4. Which of the following is the push or pull to get an object to move?
Force, Position, Motion, Speed
5. Which of the following is a force that acts on another to slow it down or cause it
to stop?
Speed, Motion, Position, Friction
6. Which of the following is considered heat energy?
Kinetic, Static, Dry, Thermal
7. Which of the following types of friction occurs when a person rubs his hands
together to produce heat?
Kinetic, Fluid, Static, Rolling
8. Which of the following types of friction occurs when a boat moves along the
surface of water?
Kinetic, Static, Fluid, Rolling
9. Which of the following best explains hydroplaning?
A boat's surface scraping the bottom of a body of water
When the wheels on a car are not in contact with the roadway but moves
across water
The air resistance felt by an airplane as it moves through the air
An airplane moving across the sky through a storm
10. All of the following can reduce friction EXCEPT:
Concrete, Oil, Grease, Water
11. Which of the following would have the highest coefficient of friction?
Eggs on Teflon Rubber on concrete, Ice skates on ice, Tires on water
B. Write paragraphs briefly explaining the following.
1. motion, position, speed, force
2. friction, kinetic energy, thermal energy
3. hydroplane and how friction can be reduced
4. dry friction, static friction, fluid friction
5. coefficient of friction
Video links -
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Friction
[Link]