Salome Raymond
A00021420
Prof. Biyasa Abraham
December 6, 2019
Friction as an Important Part of Life
Forces that are known collectively as “friction forces” are all around us in daily life. Friction is
the resistance to motion of one object moving relative to another. In a machine, friction reduces
the mechanical advantage, or the ratio of output to input: an automobile, for instance, uses one-
quarter of its energy on reducing friction. Yet, it is also friction in the tires that allows the car to
stay on the road and friction in the clutch that makes it possible to drive at all. Friction is a force
that is around us all the time that opposes relative motion between systems in contact but also
allows us to move. One of the simpler characteristics of friction is that it is parallel to the contact
surface between systems and always in a direction that opposes the motion or attempted motion
of the systems relative to each other.
If two systems are in contact and moving relative to one another, then the friction between them
is called kinetic friction. But when objects are stationary, static friction can act between them;
the static friction is usually greater than the kinetic friction between the objects.
Friction plays an important part in many everyday processes. In machines, automobile brakes
inherently rely on friction, slowing a vehicle by converting its kinetic energy into heat.
Incidentally, dispersing this large amount of heat safely is one technical challenge in designing
brake systems. Disk brakes rely on friction between a disc and brake pads that are squeezed
transversely against the rotating disc. In drum brakes, brake shoes or pads are pressed outwards
against a rotating cylinder (brake drum) to create friction. Since braking discs can be more
efficiently cooled than drums, disc brakes have better-stopping performance. Friction causes
machines to slow down, and heat up. It causes a decrease in speed increase in wear on parts.
In the household, Friction is used to heat and ignite matchsticks (friction between the head of a
matchstick and the rubbing surface of the matchbox). Any time one surface touches another -
regardless of whether you want the surfaces to slide easily against one another - or if you want
friction to be high - this is an application of friction. Any time you move fluid, gas or liquid,
whether you want it to move easily, or with resistance, it’s an application of friction. Any time
you move a vehicle over land, through the water, or through the air, it’s an application involving
friction. Any living creature, plant or animal, that moves gas or liquid through its structure, or
moves part of it against another part, involves friction. Actually, anything that moves involves
friction.
Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and material
elements sliding against each other. When surfaces in contact move relative to each other, the
friction between the two surfaces converts kinetic energy into thermal energy (that is, it converts
work to heat). Friction is desirable and important in and is important in every aspect of life.
References
1. Armstrong-Hélouvry, Brian (1991). Control of machines with friction. USA: Springer. p.
10. ISBN 978-0-7923-9133-3.