Download This Sample
This sample is exclusively for KidsKonnect members!
To download this worksheet, click the button below to signup for free (it only takes a minute) and you'll be brought right back to this page to start the download!
Sign Me Up
Table of Contents
Friction is a force created when two surfaces come into contact and move relative to another, acting in the opposite direction to prevent relative motion. About 20% of the world’s energy is caused by friction. Frictional forces slow the velocity of surfaces in contact as the primary cause of this event.
See the fact file below for more information on Friction or you can download our 28-page Friction worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
BACKGROUND
- Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) was one of the first experts to conduct a thorough study of friction. He came to understand how crucial friction is to the way machines function. He was particularly interested in friction in all forms and distinguished between sliding and rolling friction.
- Leonardo discovered that various materials move with varying ease. He reasoned that this was due to the material in question being rough; therefore, smoother materials will have less friction. Leonardo Da Vinci never received credit for his theories since they were never published. The sole proof of their existence can be found in his enormous archive of journals.
DIFFERENT TYPES
- Dry Friction. When two solid items interact, dry friction occurs. It is referred to as static friction if the object is not moving. Kinetic or sliding friction is what happens when the object is moving.
- Fluid Friction. Fluid or air is involved in fluid friction. Fluid friction causes air resistance against an airplane or water resistance against a boat.
- Rolling Friction. A force that opposes a rolling body’s motion is known as rolling friction. The deformation of surfaces also causes rolling friction to occur.
DIFFERENT FORMS
- Static Friction. The friction that prevents two stationary surfaces from moving past one another is known as static friction. Motion is resisted by static friction. Depending on the amount of force applied to the object that isn’t moving, the static frictional force magnitude will alter. If you add mass to the object, you will need to apply more force both to start it moving and to keep it moving.
- Kinetic Friction. The friction force that prevents two moving surfaces from sliding past one another is known as kinetic friction. The more firmly two surfaces are forced against one another, the greater the kinetic frictional force between them.
FACTORS AFFECTING FRICTION
- Object’s Roughness or Smoothness. The amount of friction produced is influenced by the sliding object’s smoothness or roughness. The more friction that is produced by an object, the more limited its mobility will be. An object’s ability to move more easily increases with its smoothness.
- Surface Roughness or Smoothness. The nature of the surface in contact determines the friction. In comparison to a smoother surface, a rough surface generates more friction for the object’s opposing motion.
- Object’s Shape and Design. The surface area in touch with the surface on which the object is traveling depends on its shape and design. For example, if streamlined while traveling in water or air, the object will have reduced frictional force opposing its motion than any other shape.
CAUSES OF FRICTION
- Molecular Adhesion. When two items come in contact, many of the atoms or molecules in the first object are so close to those in the second that electromagnetic or molecular forces draw the molecules of the two materials together, and force adhesion occurs.
- Surface Roughness. Abrasion can occur when you slide one object against another. It can cause the high spots or asperities on the surfaces of two hard solids to obstruct sliding and create friction.
- Deformation. Under stress, soft materials will deform. The resistance to the motion is also increased by this.
COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION
- The surface’s coefficient of friction affects how much friction there is. The force needed to move something over a surface increases with the coefficient of friction of that surface. The amount of friction between two surfaces is measured by the coefficient of friction (µ). A low coefficient of friction value means that less force is needed to slide an object than would be needed if the coefficient of friction were large.
- The normal force is the force used to push one surface into another. If two items are sliding past each other, more force is required to stop them from moving forward and the the higher the coefficient of friction.
- The coefficient of friction is a unit used to describe how much friction various materials display.
- Formula: F = µN where the force of friction (F) is equal to the coefficient of friction (µ) multiplied by normal reaction force (N).
- For example, if we are going to find the force of friction (F) with a given 0.15 coefficient of friction and a normal reaction from the surface at 5N, the calculation will look like this:
Formula: F = µN
Given: µ = 0.15, N = 5N
Therefore: F = 0.15 x 5N
Solution: F = 0.75N
Conclusion: The frictional force exerted is 0.75N
VISCOSITY AND FRICTION
- The term “viscosity” describes a fluid’s thickness. The friction or interaction between the molecules of a fluid produces viscosity. The energy needed to make a fluid flow will depend on its viscosity, much on the friction that occurs between moving objects.
- Isaac Newton‘s equation for fluids, which is analogous to Newton’s second law of motion, is frequently used in physics to describe viscosity.
- According to this law, when force is applied to an object, it will accelerate. The force required to accelerate an object depends on its mass, which increases as the mass increases.
- Viscosity influences friction, which in turn, impacts heat. If your oil’s viscosity index is low, it may become thinner as it heats, which might present issues while you drive your car on a hot summer day. Some oils have a more stable viscosity, while others react to heat or cold.
- To operate efficiently, manufacturing equipment needs the proper lubricant. Too viscous lubricants can clog and jam pipelines. Too-thin lubricants offer too little protection for moving parts.
APPLICATION AND EXAMPLES
- Frictional forces always occur against the direction of movement. Therefore, friction happens when two surfaces slightly adhere to
one another. - When car wheels move over the ground, their surface adheres to the pavement. The car is slowed down by the force of friction that exists between the road’s surface and the surfaces of the wheels.
- You may have seen that moving a box on a cement floor is challenging. This is due to the friction between the surface of the box and the surface of the floor.
- More friction is created when surfaces that are touching each other are rough. Less friction is created when the surfaces touching one another are smooth.
- In order to walk, there must be friction. The soles of your shoes are kept from slipping off the surface of the ground by friction.
- How is writing with a pencil even possible? Millions of carbon atoms are rubbed off the end of the pencil during writing, creating a black imprint on the paper as a result of friction.
- Making friction as great as possible is frequently beneficial if you engage in a sport like climbing. Because they create more friction, climbers prefer to utilize boots with rubber soles for a stronger grip.
Friction Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Friction across 28 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Friction, which is a force created when two surfaces come into contact and move relative to another, acting in the opposite direction to prevent relative motion.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Friction Facts
- Fact or Friction?
- What Am I?
- Identi-friction
- Problem Solving
- Static vs. Kinetic
- How Many Can You See?
- The Fast and The Friction
- Friction-gram
- Oats Up!
- Friction Adventure
Link/cite this page
If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.
Link will appear as Friction Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 30, 2022
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.