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Frictional Force

Frictional Force

When a body is in motion, it encounters resistance because the body interacts with its surroundings. This resistance is known as friction, a common yet complex force whose behavior is still not completely understood. Friction opposes relative motion between systems in contact, but also allows us to move. Friction arises in part due to the roughness of surfaces in contact. For one object to move along a surface, it must rise to where the peaks of the surface can skip along the bottom of the...

Dry Friction

Dry Friction

Dry friction occurs between two solid surfaces in contact as they attempt to move relative to one another. In daily life, dry friction is encountered in various forms, such as when walking on the ground, sliding an object across a table, or rubbing hands together. Despite its ubiquity, the underlying mechanisms behind dry friction are not readily visible.
To illustrate this concept, imagine a wooden crate resting on a rough, non-uniform horizontal surface. When an external force is applied to...

Types of Friction Problems

Types of Friction Problems

Friction is an essential concept in physics, engineering, and everyday life. It is the force that opposes the relative motion or tendency of such motion between two surfaces in contact. One of the most common types of friction encountered in various applications is dry friction. Dry friction problems can be broadly categorized into three types, each with unique characteristics and challenges.
The first type of dry friction problem involves situations where there is no apparent impending motion.

Characteristics of Dry Friction

Characteristics of Dry Friction

Dry friction occurs when two solid surfaces slide against each other without any lubrication or fluid present. It causes resistance when pushing objects along a surface, like a gardener pushing a wheelbarrow. The force applied to move the cart causes dry friction between the wheel and the ground.
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...

Static and Kinetic Frictional Force

Static and Kinetic Frictional Force

One of the simpler characteristics of sliding friction is that it is parallel to the contact surfaces between systems, and is always in a direction that opposes the motion or attempted motion of the systems relative to each other. If two systems are in contact and moving relative to one another, then the friction between them is called kinetic friction. For example, kinetic friction slows a hockey puck sliding on ice.
However, if two systems are in contact and are stationary relative to one...

Kinetic Friction

Kinetic Friction

Consider a truck trying to pull a stationary car. As the truck exerts a force on the car, static friction is created at the point of contact between the two surfaces. This frictional force resists the car's movement and keeps it at rest. However, when the applied force by the truck surpasses the limiting static frictional force, an interesting phenomenon occurs. The frictional force at the interface reduces to a lower value, known as the kinetic frictional force. At this point, the car begins...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Knowledge Based Cloud FE Simulation of Sheet Metal Forming Processes

Knowledge Based Cloud FE Simulation of Sheet Metal Forming Processes

Published on: December 13, 2016

Model for solid-liquid and solid-solid friction of rough surfaces with adhesion hysteresis.

Michael Nosonovsky¹

¹National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8520, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8520, USA. michael.nosonovsky@nist.gov

The Journal of Chemical Physics

|June 22, 2007

Summary

Energy dissipation in friction arises from adhesion hysteresis due to surface deformation and energy barriers from surface roughness. These fundamental mechanisms govern both solid-solid and solid-liquid sliding friction.

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Area of Science:

Tribology
Surface Science
Materials Science

Background:

Friction is a ubiquitous phenomenon involving energy dissipation.
Understanding energy dissipation mechanisms is crucial for controlling friction in various applications.
Previous studies have explored various aspects of friction but a unified view of fundamental dissipation mechanisms is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

To discuss the fundamental mechanisms of energy dissipation during solid-solid and solid-liquid friction.
To elucidate the roles of adhesion hysteresis and surface roughness in energy dissipation.
To provide a comprehensive overview of the origins of sliding friction.

Main Methods:

Theoretical analysis of adhesion forces and surface interactions.
Examination of energy dissipation pathways during sliding.
Consideration of surface imperfections and roughness effects.

Main Results:

Adhesion hysteresis (AH), arising from conservative van der Waals forces and surface deformation, is a key energy dissipation mechanism.
Energy barriers between metastable states, caused by surface roughness, also contribute significantly to energy dissipation.
Both AH and surface roughness-induced barriers are fundamental to sliding friction in both solid-solid and solid-liquid systems.

Conclusions:

Energy dissipation in sliding friction is primarily governed by adhesion hysteresis and surface roughness-induced energy barriers.
These mechanisms are universally applicable to both solid-solid and solid-liquid friction.
A deeper understanding of these fundamental processes can lead to better control and prediction of friction.