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friction
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Extended explanation
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Direction of friction:
The direction of the force of friction is along the plane of contact, and (if there is no acceleration) is opposite to the direction of relative motion or intended relative motion.
This means relative motion between the points of contact. When a tyre is rolling forward along a road without slipping, the point of contact of the tyre is instantaneously stationary. Other forces on the tyre are trying to make the point of contact move backward, and so the friction force is forward.
Coefficients of friction:
Coefficients of friction are dimensionless numbers. They are different for different pairs of materials.
The static coefficient is always higher than the dynamic (or kinetic) coefficient:
To remember why the static coefficient is higher, think of two sheets of corrugated plastic sliding over each other. To start moving, the bottom of the top sheet must first rise to the level of the top of the bottom sheet, which requires extra force 
Tables of coefficients of friction:
Many tables can be found on a web search, eg http://engineershandbook.com/Tables/...efficients.htm, which begins"Extreme care is needed in using friction coefficients, and additional independent references should be used. For any specific application the ideal method of determining the coefficient of friction is by trials. A short table is included above the main table to illustrate how the coefficient of friction is affected by surface films. When a metal surface is perfectly clean in a vacuum, the friction is much higher than the normal accepted value and seizure can easily occur."
For some materials, the coefficient can be greater than one, and for solids on rubber it can be as high as four.
Increasing pressure between dry surfaces may increase the coefficient, at first slightly, but eventually very quickly, leading to seizing. For this and other factors affecting coefficients of friction, see the top box in http://www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tabl...o_of_frict.htm
Dynamic friction:
Between two bodies in relative motion, the strength of the force of friction is equal to the normal force (the reaction force) between the two bodies times the coefficient of dynamic friction:
The coefficient of dynamic friction is independent of speed.
Work done:
Dynamic friction is a dissipative (non-conservative) force: it dissipates energy (mainly through heat and sound), and energy lost by moving in one direction cannot be recovered by moving in the opposite direction.
The energy dissipated (lost from mechanical energy) equals the work done by the friction:
Static friction:
Between two bodies immediately before relative motion starts, the strength of the force of friction is equal to the normal force (the reaction force) between the two bodies times the coefficient of static friction:
Between two bodies not in relative motion, and not immediately about to move, the force of friction will be always be less than that. It will be found, not from a "friction equation", but simply by applying Newton's second law … on either body, it will always be equal and opposite to the total of the other forces on that body:
Resistance from fluids:
The resistance to a solid body from contact with gas or liquid is of a different nature, because part of the gas or liquid can move with the body.
Rolling resistance:
A vehicle is not slowed by the ordinary friction force on its tyres (if they are not slipping), since the points of contact are not moving, and so the friction is static, and static fricton does no work.
However, it is slowed by the loss of energy caused by deformation of its tyres: this loss is known as rolling resistance. |
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