What is friction and how does it affect the motion of an object?

Answer 1

Friction is when an object resists to move over another object. For example, when you rub two styrofoam cups together, you hear a squeaky noise. You are creating friction between the two cups, thus producing a squeaky noise.

Friction tends to slow down objects in motion, such as when you throw a brick through the air, it will not go far, depending on the force you used to throw the brick. Its speed will gradually decline due to the brick's friction with air. Now if you threw a football through the air using the same force that you used to throw the brick, it will go a lot farther than the brick because of its shape. The curved edge of the football makes it easier to 'slice' through the air, thus creating less friction. It is the same aspect with the shape of a car. The front of the car is blunt, so it will 'cut' through the air without much friction.

Answer 2

Friction is the force that opposes motion when two surfaces come in contact. It affects the motion of an object by slowing it down or preventing it from moving. The amount of friction depends on the roughness of the surfaces and the force pressing them together.