darnone said:hi, I am doing a physics project in which I am building a hovercraft. i want to show mathematically how the craft lowers the friction, however, i cannot find the coefficent of friction for air. i found the coefficient of friction for concret on rubber to be roughly 0.8... any ideas on air? thanks a lot for any help.
The coefficient of friction is a measure of the amount of resistance between two surfaces in contact with each other. It is a dimensionless quantity that ranges from 0 to 1, with 0 representing no friction and 1 representing maximum friction.
The coefficient of friction is determined by dividing the force required to move an object over a surface by the weight of the object. This force is known as the frictional force and is measured using a device called a friction tester.
The coefficient of friction is affected by various factors such as the nature of the surfaces in contact, the roughness of the surfaces, the temperature, and the presence of lubricants. The type of motion (sliding, rolling, or fluid) also plays a role in determining the coefficient of friction.
The coefficient of friction is important in various aspects of everyday life, such as in transportation (e.g. car tires on roads), sports (e.g. grip of shoes on the ground), and engineering (e.g. designing machines and structures with proper friction to avoid slipping or excessive wear).
The coefficient of friction can be reduced by using lubricants between the surfaces in contact, making the surfaces smoother, or changing the type of motion (e.g. from sliding to rolling). Additionally, using materials with lower coefficients of friction or adjusting the weight of an object can also help reduce friction.