Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 25, 2026

Preparation and Friction Force Microscopy Measurements of Immiscible, Opposing Polymer Brushes
Published on: December 24, 2014
Interaction potential and hopping dynamics governing sliding friction
E Riedo1, E Gnecco, R Bennewitz
1Institut de Physique des Nanostructures, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Abstract:
The friction force on a nanometer-sized tip sliding on a surface is related to the thermally activated hopping of the contact atoms on an effective atomic interaction potential. A general analytical expression relates the height of this potential and the hopping attempt frequency to measurements of the velocity dependence of the friction force performed with an atomic force microscope. While the height of the potential is roughly proportional to the normal load, the attempt frequency falls in the range of mechanical eigenfrequencies of the probing tip in contact with the surface.
Related Concept Videos
Frictional Force
Static and Kinetic Frictional Force
However, if two systems are in contact and are stationary relative to one...
Static Friction
For example, consider a scenario where a truck is connected to a car by a rope, ready to tow it along a road. When no external force is applied by the truck, the car remains stationary and is said to be in static equilibrium. In this case, the forces acting on the car, such as gravity and the...
Kinetic Friction
Characteristics of Dry Friction
Before the wheelbarrow starts moving, the static frictional force acts tangentially to the contact surface, opposing the force that is about to induce the motion. This frictional force prevents the...
Types of Friction Problems
The first type of dry friction problem involves situations where there is no apparent impending motion.

