Does marbles have friction or not?

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  • Thread starter Thread starter Carran Boey
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    Friction
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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the concept of friction as it relates to marbles rolling across a surface. Participants explore the nature of friction in rolling motion, including distinctions between static and dynamic friction, and the implications of surface interactions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the existence of friction for marbles, arguing that they have minimal contact with the surface and do not rub against it, which leads to confusion about the role of static and dynamic friction.
  • Another participant asserts that friction is necessary for a marble to roll, as it provides the force that enables rolling rather than sliding.
  • A further contribution discusses the physical interactions between the marble and the surface, suggesting that there is both dissipative friction due to surface distortion and a form of 'loss-less' friction that facilitates rolling without slipping.
  • A participant expresses gratitude for the detailed explanation but indicates a strong initial belief in their original perspective on the matter.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion reflects multiple competing views regarding the nature of friction in rolling marbles, with no consensus reached on the fundamental question of whether marbles experience friction in the same way as other objects.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes varying interpretations of friction types and their applicability to rolling objects, highlighting the complexity of the topic without resolving the underlying assumptions or definitions involved.

Carran Boey
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People say that marbles experience friction when rolling across a surface,but i don't get why. The dynamic and static friction don't seem to fit here and the point is that it have a very little contact with the surface. Note that its not rubbing across the surface but rather rolling across it. You might give an example of the bowling ball,but the force used is to push it across the floor and not the kind of force to roll and ball and thus the bowling ball slides and causes friction. I really don't get why a marble experience a friction. HELP!
 
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If there is no friction, the marble will just slide along the surface without any rolling. Friction is what is "pulling" the bottom of the ball, causing the top of the ball to fall, which makes it roll.
 
Also, when a real marble rolls on a real surface there will be a finite distortion of both surfaces - some stretching and compressing. This will involve some 'rubbing' and some energy loss - that will be 'dissipative' friction. There will also be some 'loss-less' friction which will be causing a force (analogous to a small scale version of gear teeth and more or less like what we call static friction)). But if there is no slipping / rubbing then there will be no 'force times distance' involved so no actual energy loss.
The Original Question has a number of possible answers, depending upon the depth of analysis that's required. (As usual!)
 
Thanks a lot! If the for the micro explanation,i would still have insisted on what i thought was right!
 

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