answersLogoWhite

0

Does height affect friction

Updated: 8/11/2023
User Avatar

Wiki User

10y ago

Best Answer

Actually the study of friction is complicated and the usual statement that, say, the kinetic frictional force is proportional to the weight of the object is more a rule of thumb than a law of physics.

For one thing, friction depends on the exact nature of the surfaces in contact, what materials the surfaces are made of, what is the microscopic texture of the materials, etc.

If you are considering two solid surfaces, one way of thinking about the friction between them is that on the microscopic level, the surfaces are actually very rough, with many sharp peaks and valleys. When you put two materials together with little force between them, they really only touch at the tips. So if you were to pull sideways, it would take little force to move the materials across each other. But if the force between the blocks increases, then the tips penetrate into the valleys, they bend to allow a larger area of surface to come into contact, they even can make microscopic welds between the materials. In this case, it takes a much bigger sideways force to slide the materials across each other. Hence, the increase in friction.

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago

Yes, friction is proportional to the objects weight. If you double the weight you double the force of friction. The equation is F(friction)=μF(weight), μ is a constant.

To learn about friction the best place to go is Wikipedia.org, "The World's Encyclopedia"

Go to the Related Link below.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

The force of friction is equal to the coefficient of friction times the "normal force" - the force with which the two surfaces are pushed together. On a horizontal surface, the normal force would be the weight.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

The friction force experienced by an object is equal to it's coefficient of friction times the normal force.

the coefficient of friction is a fixed number based upon the two materials interacting.

The normal force is the reacting force exerted by the surface against the object's weight. For a flat surface, it exactly equals the weight.

Increasing the weight increases the normal force, which is proportional to the friction force. Therefore, increasing the weight increases the friction force.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

Size = more material is in contact with the other material, therefore more area applying friction

Example: wider tyre of the same compound and same car stops the car faster, because the friction area is bigger.

Weight = if the are in contact with other material is the same (friction area is the same), more weight puts more pressure on the area per square cm or inch (or whatever other digit), increasing the friction.

Example: a wooden cube on a ramp will start sliding down at a lower ramp angle than a wooden cube with metal core.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

The force of friction is directly proportional to the weight of an object. The equation is Ffr=(coefficient of friction)FNsin(angle) where FN=m*g*cos(angle) and m*g is the object's weight.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

10y ago

i do not know and i was searching for the answer for this question[a boy from some country at some age]

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Does height affect friction
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp