Does a substances friction increase with increased heat?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the relationship between temperature and the coefficient of friction (CoF) in materials. It clarifies that the CoF is not defined by the properties of a single material but rather by the interaction between two surfaces, primarily influenced by surface texture rather than bulk properties like density. While it is noted that in general solids, temperature does not significantly affect CoF, exceptions exist, particularly with materials like rubber used in NASCAR tires. Heating tires softens the rubber, enhancing traction and increasing CoF. However, a direct correlation between temperature and CoF cannot be universally applied across all materials, as most solids do not change significantly unless subjected to extreme heat, which may lead to recrystallization and changes in CoF through mechanisms like plastic flow or creep.
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Assuming it stays a solid, if something gets colder, it seems, it's molecules become more tightly compressed and less able to drag on things and vice versa. Is that assumption correct?
 
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In general, no. The coefficient of friction is dot defined on a single material, but for a pair of surfaces. It only depends on the surface texture - the bulk properties like density (which is what you are describing) have no effect on the coefficient of friction.
 
Gokul43201 said:
In general, no. The coefficient of friction is dot defined on a single material, but for a pair of surfaces. It only depends on the surface texture - the bulk properties like density (which is what you are describing) have no effect on the coefficient of friction.

So then why does NASCAR heat their tires prior to installation during a pitstop. Are you saying hot and cold tires have the same COF when running on the same track?
 
No, I'm not. You are right that hot tires have better traction.

My explanation was for a general solid which does not undergo (inter)molecular rearrangement upon heating. In the case of tires, the heat softens the rubber and as a result increases its coefficient of friction.

So there are cases where the temperature affects the coefficient of friction (such are in polymeric materials like rubber), but you can not draw up a generic relation between temperature and friction coefficient.

Most other common solids, don't behave this way, unless you get really hot, at which point there are recrystallization effects that may lead to a change in the CoF through plastic flow/creep.
 
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