[Force] [Magnets] [Friction] [Gravity and Upthrust]
Friction is a force that slows things down or tries to stop an object moving
Friction causes grip.
Friction causes heat. The brakes on your bike will bill be hot after they have slowed down the moving wheel.
Without friction your feet would just slip on he ground.
Running shoes need friction to grip the ground
Tyres need friction to grip the road.
 If you rub your hands together hard the friction will make them get hot |
 The tread on a car wheel is to help increase the friction between the tyre and the road. |
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The man is driving his car towards the right.
The force of friction pushes him to the left Friction is helpful Friction sometimes does not help |
Air resistance is a kind of friction
In the example above the moving air slows the car down.
This kind of friction is called air resistance.
We could make the air resistance less by making the car more pointed (streamlined).
If we did this the car would go faster.
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Gravity pulls the parachute down
Air resistance, a kind of friction, pushes the parachute up
Bigger parachute = more air resistance = slower falling |
How can we reduce friction?
 By using bearings |
 By using lubrication (usually oil) |
 By having a smooth surface such as skis or ice |
 By using a aerodynamic shape that air slips over easily |
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Investigating friction (1) Aim: To find out which surfaces have the most grip (friction) Diagram
We placed weights on a block of wood that had a hook on one end. We then placed the block of wood on the surface being tested (eg a piece of carpet). A force meter was attached to the hook and pulled until the block just started to slide. We measured the force needed to keep the block moving and recorded it in our table of results. The experiment was repeated several times with different surfaces between the trolley and the bench top.
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