Friction & Rolling: Flat Surface, Constant Speed

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When a roller rolls on a flat surface at constant speed without slipping, static friction is present but does no work, resulting in zero net friction force. If the roller maintains constant velocity, it implies no acceleration, meaning friction does not affect its motion. The discussion highlights that while static friction exists, it does not influence the speed of the roller under these conditions. Any discrepancies arise only when considering forces that would cause acceleration. Overall, friction plays a minimal role in this scenario, primarily coming into effect only during changes in motion.
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when a roller is rolling on a flat surface with a constant speed, how is about the friction force?
is there any friction forces or not?
 
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hokhani said:
when a roller is rolling on a flat surface with a constant speed, how is about the friction force?
is there any friction forces or not?

What are your thoughts? The term "constant speed" is a key in this question...
 
constant speed doesn't say much - it could be a forced motion.

if the roller is rolling without slipping, there is static friction with does no work.
 
Curl said:
constant speed doesn't say much - it could be a forced motion.

Ah, good point. Didn't think of that possibility.
 
thanks all
let me clarify my question:
consider a roller without slipping(a disk) which it's center has a constant speed.
if there were any friction force on a roller during rolling then the disk can't have a constant speed(due to friction the velocity is decreasing). on the other hand the torque(due to friction) should increase it's angular velocity.
so i think there is a discrepancy here.
 
If something is just rolling without slipping along a horizontal surface, the static friction will be zero. Static friction would be non-zero if it were accelerating.

(This ignores losses due to deformation and rolling friction, of course.)
 
ok
thanks
 
hokhani said:
when a roller is rolling on a flat surface with a constant speed, how is about the friction force?
is there any friction forces or not?
Have you rolled a marble along a flat surface? What about trying different flat surfaces?
 
hokhani said:
when a roller is rolling on a flat surface with a constant speed, how is about the friction force?
I'm guessing your thinking of rolling resistance, as opposed to static friction. Wiki article about rolling resistance:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_resistance
 
  • #10
There is pretty much always friction.
 
  • #11
When the disk is freely rolling without slipping at constant velocity, the friction is zero. If your disk rolls onto a frictionless surface, there will be no difference in how it moves - it will still appear to be rolling without slipping because rw=v i.e. they are matched perfectly.

Friction only comes into play if there is any acceleration.
 

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