FRICTION

 Frictional force is a force opposing the

relative motion between two surfaces which
are in contact with each other.
 The force of friction arises due to the
interlocking of irregular projections on the
two surfaces and is called as "force of
contact".

(A) Static friction (Upto limiting friction) :

The frictional force that exists between the

body and the surface so long as they are
relatively at rest even when the external force
acts, is called the static friction.
 When there is no external force acting on the
body, the frictional force is zero.
 If we increase the magnitude of the external
If the switch off the engine of car it will stop force, the static friction also increases.
after moving a certain distance. It means that
some retarding force is acting on the car which  At one point, when there is a slight increase
stops it. The force opposing the motion of the car in the magnitude of the external force, the
(body) is called "force of friction". body just starts sliding over the surface.
 The frictional force is tangential to the  The force of friction at the limiting stage is
surface in contact and always in a direction called the 'limiting friction.'
opposite to the direction of motion of the  The limiting friction depends upon the nature
object.
of the two surfaces in contact.
(B) Kinetic or Sliding friction :
 When the external force exceeds the limiting
friction, the body just starts sliding.
 The minimum force required to maintain the
motion of the body over the other surface is
called the "kinetic friction".
 The frictional force that exists between the
two surfaces when there is a uniform relative
 motion between them is called the "dynamic  The limiting frictional force is directly
friction" or "sliding friction". proportional to the normal reaction.
 Kinetic friction is smaller than the limiting
friction.
Frictional force can be reduced in the following
(C) Rolling friction : ways:
 The frictional force that exists between the  Use of lubricants : In machines, friction can
two surfaces when a body rolls over the other be reduced by applying lubricants between
is called the "rolling friction". the contact surfaces to fill the fine pores or
 It deforms the surface over which it rolls. depressions in the surfaces and make them
smooth thereby reducing friction.
 Rolling body it-self gets deformed at the
point of contact over the surface.  Polishing : unevenness of the surfaces can be
reduced by polishing, thereby reducing the
friction.
 Use of ball bearings : In rotating machines,
shafts are mounted on ball bearings. By doing
so, rolling friction occurs lesser than sliding
 The part OA of the graph shows that the static friction, thereby reducing the friction.
friction increases with the increase in applied  By streamlining : Air friction is reduced by
force. designing streamlined bodies of cars or
aeroplanes. Similarly, if the bodies of boats
and ships are streamlined, friction of water
can be reduced.

 Wear and Tear : In machine parts like gears,

brakes when they come in contact with each
other continuously, they wear out gradually,
 The force of friction is maximum at a point A which should be replaced time to time.
which is equal to AP.  Friction reduces efficiency of the machine.
 If the applied force is increased further, the  Friction in machine produces heat and
body will continue to be in motion but the undesirable noise which damages the
force of friction is slightly lesser. machine. To avoid excessive heating, water is
 After this the force of friction remains circulated in machines generally.
constant.
Note : Rolling friction is smaller than sliding
friction which in turn is smaller than the
limiting friction.
 We would not be able to walk if there had
been no friction b/w the soles of our shoes
and the ground.
 If there had been no friction, the wheels of a
The force of friction depends upon the following car will slip instead of rotating and stop
factors : moving. For that we have to increase the
 Materials of the bodies in contact.
friction by making the tyres corrugated to get
better grip of tyres on the road. Also, the
 Roughness of the surfaces in contact friction is increased.
 Force of friction is independent of the area of  When brakes are applied, the vehicle stops
the two surfaces in contact. due to the force of friction b/w the
brakelining and the drum.
  In the absence of friction, we cannot write on chalk stick will slide off the board without
a blackboard with a chalk stick because the leaving any mark on the board.
EXERCISE # 1
Q.15 Explain why objects moving in fluids must
have special shapes.
.
Q.1 Define friction.

Q.2 What is meant by sliding friction ? Q.16 Why are the soles of shoes grooved ?

Q.3 What is rolling friction ? Q.17 Give examples to show that friction is both a
friend and a foe.
Q.4 What is meant by air resistance ?
Q.18 Why does friction increase if the two surfaces
Q.5 When does static friction come into play ?
are pressed ?
Q.6 Which force is responsible for wear and tear
Q.19 A labourer has to push a heavy trunk. What
of machinery ?
should be do to reduce his effort in pushing it
Q.7 Which is greater–rolling friction or sliding and why ?
friction ?
Q.20 Why is friction essential ? Give three
Q.8 What are lubricants ? examples.

Q.9 What are fluids ?

Q.10 Do fluids exert friction ?

Q.21 Give five examples to show that friction is

increased deliberately.
Q.11 You spill a bucket of soapy water on a marble
Q.22 Why are heat resistant tiles laid along the
floor accidently. Would it make easier or
surface of spaceships ?
more difficult for you to walk on the floor?
Why Q.23 What is meant by lubrication ? Why do we
lubricate the moving parts of our vehicles?
Q.12 Explain why sportsmen use shoes with
Name some lubricants and where they are
spikes.
used.
Q.13 Iqbal has to push a lighter box and Same has
to push a similar heavier box on the same Q.24 What is meant by "streamlined shape" ?

floor. Who will have to apply a larger force Where and why is this shape used ? To whom

and why ? has nature provided streamlined body?

Q.14 Explain why sliding friction is less than static

friction.
 EXERCISE # 2
(C) increases friction
(D) has no effect on friction

.Q.1 Force of friction is directly proportional to Q.7 Frictional force is due to ..... between two
(A) size
(B) area moving surfaces
(C) weight (A) softness (B) roughness
(D) all these factors of the moving body (C) distance (D) none of these

Q.2 Which of the following is the least ? Q.8 The maximum value of force required to
(A) static friction make the body just to slide is known as
(B) sliding friction (A) dynamic friction
(C) rolling friction (B) static friction
(D) limiting friction (C) limiting friction
(D) rolling friction
Q.3 Friction between two flat surface can be
reduced by, Q.9 Rolling friction is always more than the
(A) greasing (A) dynamic friction
(B) using ball bearing (B) static friction
(C) decreasing the area (C) limiting friction
(D) All of the above (D) none of these

Q.4 The flying machine offering the least Q.10 What can you use to reduce the force of
frictional force should be friction on an object ?
(A) irregular (A) Lubricate the surface
(B) tree-like (B) Streamline the body shape
(C) symmetrical with many arms (C) Reduce the surface area in contact of
(D) streamlined two bodies
(D) All of these
Q.5 Frictional force increases with the increase
in Q.11 Which of the statement is correct about
(A) roughness of the surface rolling and sliding friction ?
(B) smoothness of the surface (A) Rolling friction is greater than sliding
(C) distance between two bodies friction
(D) none of these (B) Rolling friction is lesser than sliding
friction
(C) Rolling and sliding frictions acting on a
Q.6 Lubrication of moving surfaces body are equal
(A) removes friction (D) None of these
(B) reduces friction
Q.12 A body will experience the minimum (C) optimize friction
friction in – (D) remain same
(A) Vacuum (B) Air
(C) Fresh water (D) Sea water Q.17 The use of lubricants makes the surface
(A) smooth (B) rough
Q.13 Ball bearings are used to (C) very rough (D) no effect
(A) increase surface area
(B) decrease surface area Q.18 The frictional force ...... with the ......... in
(C) increase friction roughness of the surfaces
(D) decrease friction (A) increases, increase
(B) decrease, decrease
Q.14 Lubricants are used to (C) decrease, increase
(A) reduce friction (D) increases, decrease
(B) increase friction
(C) make a surface shiny Q.19 The maximum force of friction when the
(D) make a surface oily body is just beginning to move is known as
the
Q.15 SI unit of force of friction is (A) limiting friction (B) rolling friction
(A) N (B) kg wt (C) static friction (D) none of these
(C) kg ms–2 (D) Joule
Q.20 The friction that exists between a surface
Q.16 Ball bearings are used to sliding on another surface is called the
(A) increase friction (A) dynamic friction (B) rolling friction
(B) decrease friction (C) static friction (D) none of these

ANSWER KEY
 EXERCISE-1
A.
the friction increases. For a heavier box the
ridges of the surfaces get interlocked more.
Sol.1 Friction is the force which resists the
Sol.14 Sliding friction is less than static friction
motion of a body, while moving on a
because it comes into play once the body
surface.
has started sliding. To make the body slide
Sol.2 When one surface is sliding over the other, more force is required to overcome the
sliding friction comes into play. irregularities in the surface of the body.
Sol.3 When one body rolls over the surface of Sol.15 Fluids also exert a frictional force on the
another body, the resistance to its motion is body moving through them. Therefore, the
called the rolling friction. shape of the body is streamlined to over the
Sol.4 Threre is friction between a moving object frictional force of fluids and to move
and the air through which it moves known smoothly through them.
as air resistance. Sol.16 Soles of shoes are grooved so as to provide
Sol.5 Static friction comes into play to counter better grip between the shoes and the
balance the applied force on the body. ground.

Sol.6 Force of friction. Sol.17 Friction is friend in the following ways – it

helps us to walk, to write on the blackboard
Sol.7 Sliding friction is greater than rolling
and to apply the brakes of a car.Friction is
friction.
foe in the following ways it causes wear
Sol.8 The substances which reduce friction are and tear of machinery and shoes, it
called lubricants. proudces heat in the machinery.
Sol.9 Fluids is the common name given to gases Sol.18 Since the friction is due to the interlocking
and liquids. of irregularities in the two surface which
Sol.10 Yes, fluids also exert friction. slide with respect to each other, it increases
when the two surfaces are pressed harder.
Sol.19 The labourer should put some cylindrical
logs of wood under the trunk. In this way
B
the area of contact between the two
Sol.11 It would be more difficult to walk on the surfaces is reduced. Rolling friction is less
floor with soapy water because when we than sliding friction.
walk on a soapy floor, there is little friction
Sol.20 Friction is necessary between the soles of
between the floor and the feet, so it
our feet and ground so that we can walk
becomes difficult to walk.
without slipping.
Sol.12 Sportsman use shoes with spikes to increase
Friction helps us in writing on paper.
the friction. In this way, the sportsman can
run faster. Friction makes it possible to light a match
stick, by rubbing it along the rough surface
Sol.13 Seema will have to apply more force
of the match box.
because the weight of the box increase and
 Sol.23 Lubrication means oiling the machines
from time. Lubrication of the moving parts
Sol.21 (a) Athletes wear spiked shoes to help them is done to reduce friction between them.
run fast. We can use oil or grease in machines.
(b) Mountaineers wear spiked shoes while Graphite can be used in machines which
walking on snow. reach a very high temperature.
(c) The tyres of vehicles are grooved. Sol.24 Streamlined shape means they are narrow
(d) The roads are made rough. in front and broader at the back. The bodies
(e) The blackboard is made rough. of aeroplanes, missiles and rockets are
streamlined to reduce friction with air.
Sol.22 The spaceships are sent into the space from Ships and boats have a streamlined shape to
the rockets with a very high speed. This reduce friction with air. Nature has given
create a very high frictional force between birds and fish streamlined bodies.
the air and spaceship. As result, the
spaceship gets heated to red hot. The heat
resistant tiles save the spaceship from
burning.

EXERCISE-2