• Engineering and Architecture
  • Management and Business Administration
  • Medicine and Allied Sciences
  • Law
  • Animation and Design
  • Media, Mass Communication and Journalism
  • Finance & Accounts
  • Computer Application and IT
  • Pharmacy
  • Hospitality and Tourism
  • Competition
  • School
  • Study Abroad
  • Arts, Commerce & Sciences
  • Learn
  • Online Courses and Certifications
Types of Friction - Static, Sliding, Rolling And Fluid, FAQs

Types of Friction - Static, Sliding, Rolling And Fluid, FAQs

Vishal kumarUpdated on 02 Jul 2025, 05:07 PM IST

The article includes what is friction, what are the factors affecting friction, what is friction in Science, and what does friction produce. It also explains the concept of work done by frictional force, angle of friction, and the application of friction.

This Story also Contains

  1. What is friction?
  2. Types of friction/ Types of frictional force/ What are the types of friction/ Different types of friction
  3. Important definitions on friction
Types of Friction - Static, Sliding, Rolling And Fluid, FAQs
Types of Friction

Note: Friction for class 11, the definition of friction for class 8, angle of repose for class 11 is also mentioned in the article.

Introduction of friction

The concept of friction was given by many scientists worldwide. Aristotle, Pliny the Elder, and Vitruvius were some of them.

Origin of friction: The foundation for the study of friction was first laid by the famous scientist Leonardo da Vinci. He conducted a systematic study on friction and gave classical laws. Through his research, he understood how the working of machines depends on friction. Many years before Newton’s law of motion, Leonardo da Vinci had explained the basic laws of friction. The law comprises two statements that state:

  1. The areas in contact have no effect on friction.
  2. If the load of an object is doubled, its friction will also be doubled.

From the study, he claimed that each body moves with different ease. Due to the roughness of the material, it experiences friction.

This theory was then studied by different scientists for further research.

Also read -

What is friction?

The opposing force that resists the relative motion between the bodies in contact is the definition of friction or frictional force.

Explain the concept of friction.

Consider two objects that are in contact with each other. There is always some resistance to the sliding or rolling of those objects. The theory of friction is mainly due to the irregularities on the objects that are in contact. For a normal eye, the object may look smooth but it also has minute irregularities. It can be observed through the microscopic view. The roughness of the material is mainly responsible for friction.

Friction_between_surfaces.jpg

Figure 1 Microscopic view of objects with irregularities on their surface

The two objects having irregularities bind together and lock themselves. To move any object, a force is required to remove the locking between the objects. Objects with a rough surface have more irregularities and so it requires a greater force of friction.

Commonly Asked Questions

Q: What is friction and why is it important in our daily lives?
A:
Friction is a force that resists the relative motion between two surfaces in contact. It's crucial in our daily lives because it allows us to walk, drive cars, and hold objects. Without friction, we would slip and slide constantly, and many everyday tasks would be impossible.
Q: Why do race car drivers want their tires to heat up during a race?
A:
Race car drivers want their tires to heat up because warm tires provide better traction. The heat softens the rubber slightly, increasing its contact area with the track and thus increasing friction. This allows for better acceleration, braking, and cornering.
Q: What is the relationship between friction and energy?
A:
Friction converts kinetic energy (energy of motion) into thermal energy (heat). This is why rubbing your hands together makes them warm. In many mechanical systems, friction leads to energy loss and reduced efficiency.
Q: How does friction affect the motion of objects on inclined planes?
A:
On an inclined plane, friction opposes the component of the object's weight that acts parallel to the surface. It can prevent objects from sliding down if static friction is strong enough, or slow their descent if kinetic friction is present. The steeper the incline, the more likely it is that objects will overcome static friction and begin to slide.
Q: How does friction affect the stopping distance of a vehicle?
A:
Friction between the tires and the road is crucial for a vehicle's stopping distance. Greater friction allows for shorter stopping distances. Factors that reduce friction, such as wet or icy roads, increase stopping distance. This is why it's important to maintain good tire tread and adjust driving speed to road conditions.

Types of friction/ Types of frictional force/ What are the types of friction/ Different types of friction

Depending on the types of motion there are four different classifications in friction. They are,

  • Static friction: The opposing force between two or more solid objects that do not have any relative motion between them is called static friction. In simple words, it is the friction applied to an object at rest. The nature of the surface affects static friction.
  • Sliding friction: When two objects are sliding over one another, the friction applied is called sliding friction.
  • Rolling friction: When one object rolls over the other the applied friction is called rolling friction. Rolling replaces sliding as friction due to sliding is always more than rolling.
  • Fluid friction: In fluids, the opposing force present in between different layers as they move relative to each other is called fluid friction.

Friction images are shown below,

Friction

friction

What are the factors affecting friction or frictional force?

Friction depends on the following factors:

  • Nature of the objects in contact: Due to the more irregularities, objects having rough surfaces provide greater friction.
  • Nature of the surface: Roughness or smoothness affects friction. The roughness of the surface and the roughness of the objects together increase frictional force.
  • Type of friction: Friction depends on whether the action is rolling or sliding. Friction due to sliding is always more than rolling.
  • Normal force acting on the sliding objects: Friction increases with the increase in the normal force acting on the object. This is because the force which is perpendicular to the sliding plane increases the interaction between the object and thus friction increases.
  • Mass of the object: Friction increases with the increase in the mass of the object.

What does friction produce?

Friction produces heat energy. When two objects move over each other, the kinetic energy produced by the objects is converted to heat energy.

Related Topics Link,

Work done by frictional force

The frictional force is an opposing force. It is the opposite of the relative motion of the body. When an object is pulled, friction acts opposite to the direction of displacement. Displacement will be negative.

Since work done W=F×d

Work done is directly proportional to the displacement d. Hence work done by the frictional force will also be negative.

Also Read:

Commonly Asked Questions

Q: How does static friction differ from sliding friction?
A:
Static friction occurs between two surfaces that are not moving relative to each other, while sliding friction occurs when one surface is sliding over another. Static friction is typically greater than sliding friction and is responsible for keeping objects at rest.
Q: How does rolling friction compare to sliding friction?
A:
Rolling friction is typically much less than sliding friction. This is why wheels and ball bearings are used to reduce friction in many applications. Rolling objects experience less resistance because they have less surface area in contact with the ground at any given moment.
Q: What is the difference between kinetic and static friction?
A:
Static friction acts on objects at rest, preventing them from starting to move. Kinetic friction acts on objects already in motion, opposing their movement. Static friction is typically greater than kinetic friction for the same surfaces.
Q: How does fluid friction differ from solid friction?
A:
Fluid friction, also known as drag, occurs when an object moves through a fluid (liquid or gas). Unlike solid friction, fluid friction increases with the speed of the object. It depends on factors like the object's shape, size, and the fluid's properties.
Q: Why is it usually harder to start pushing a heavy object than to keep it moving?
A:
It's harder to start pushing a heavy object because you need to overcome static friction, which is generally greater than sliding friction. Once the object is moving, you only need to overcome sliding friction, which requires less force.

Important definitions on friction

Define internal friction.

When an object undergoes deformation, the force opposing the motion between the elements forming the object is called internal friction.

Angle of friction

Angel of friction

Figure 2 Angle of friction

Angle made by the resultant (R) of the frictional force Fmax and the normal reaction (N) with the direction of the normal reaction is called the angle of friction.

Define cones of friction.

When two surfaces are at rest, the horizontal surface applies resultant force on another surface. When this condition is located in a cone it is called the cone of friction.

Limiting friction

The maximal or highest value of static friction is called limiting friction.

Also check-

NEET Highest Scoring Chapters & Topics
This ebook serves as a valuable study guide for NEET exams, specifically designed to assist students in light of recent changes and the removal of certain topics from the NEET exam.
Download E-book

NCERT Physics Notes:

Commonly Asked Questions

Q: What is the coefficient of friction, and how is it used?
A:
The coefficient of friction is a dimensionless value that represents the ratio of the friction force to the normal force between two surfaces. It's used to calculate the friction force when the normal force is known. There are separate coefficients for static and kinetic friction.
Q: What factors affect the magnitude of friction between two surfaces?
A:
The main factors affecting friction are:
Q: Why do car tires need some friction to work properly?
A:
Car tires need friction with the road surface to provide traction. This friction allows the car to accelerate, brake, and turn. Without sufficient friction, the tires would slip, making it difficult or impossible to control the vehicle.
Q: Why do ice skaters glide so easily on ice?
A:
Ice skaters glide easily because of a thin layer of water that forms between the skate blade and the ice due to pressure and friction. This water acts as a lubricant, significantly reducing friction and allowing for smooth gliding.
Q: How does the normal force affect friction?
A:
The normal force, which is perpendicular to the surfaces in contact, directly affects the magnitude of friction. As the normal force increases, so does the friction force. This relationship is described by the equation: F = μN, where F is the friction force, μ is the coefficient of friction, and N is the normal force.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How does friction affect the behavior of non-Newtonian fluids?
A:
In non-Newtonian fluids, the relationship between shear stress and strain rate is not constant, unlike in Newtonian fluids. This means that the effective viscosity, and thus the friction within the fluid, can change depending on the applied force or the flow conditions. This leads to unique behaviors like shear thickening (increased resistance with increased force) or shear thinning (decreased resistance with increased force). Understanding these effects is important in applications ranging from industrial processing to the design of protective equipment.
Q: What is the role of friction in the mechanics of earthquakes?
A:
Friction plays a central role in earthquake mechanics. Earthquakes occur when built-up stress overcomes the static friction holding tectonic plates together. As the plates slip, kinetic friction generates heat and seismic waves. The stick-slip behavior caused by the difference between static and kinetic friction contributes to the jerky nature of earthquakes. Understanding friction at fault lines is crucial for earthquake prediction and risk assessment.
Q: What is the role of friction in the mechanics of joints in the human body?
A:
In human joints, friction plays a dual role. A certain amount of friction is necessary for joint stability and control of movement. However, excessive friction can lead to wear and tear on joint surfaces. Synovial fluid in joints acts as a lubricant to reduce friction. Understanding this balance is crucial in fields like orthopedics and the design of artificial joints.
Q: How does friction contribute to the phenomenon of stick-slip motion?
A:
Stick-slip motion occurs when friction between two surfaces alternates between static (stick) and kinetic (slip) phases. It happens because static friction is typically higher than kinetic friction. The object sticks until enough force builds up to overcome static friction, then slips until friction slows it down, and the cycle repeats. This phenomenon is responsible for squeaking doors, violin music, and some types of earthquakes.
Q: What is the difference between isotropic and anisotropic friction?
A:
Isotropic friction is uniform in all directions, while anisotropic friction varies depending on the direction of motion. Many everyday surfaces exhibit roughly isotropic friction, but some materials, like wood grain or certain crystals, have anisotropic friction properties. Understanding this difference is important in applications ranging from materials science to the design of sports equipment.
Q: How does friction affect the behavior of strings and ropes in pulley systems?
A:
Friction in pulley systems occurs between the rope and the pulley wheel, and within the pulley's bearings. This friction reduces the efficiency of the system by converting some of the input energy into heat. It also causes the tension in the rope to vary on different sides of the pulley, unlike in an ideal, frictionless pulley where tension is constant throughout the rope.
Q: What is the relationship between friction and the concept of mechanical equilibrium?
A:
Friction plays a crucial role in mechanical equilibrium, particularly for objects at rest. Static friction provides the force necessary to balance other forces acting on an object, keeping it stationary. For example, a book on an inclined plane remains at rest because static friction balances the component of its weight parallel to the plane. Understanding this relationship is key to analyzing forces in equilibrium problems.
Q: What is viscous friction, and how does it differ from other types of friction?
A:
Viscous friction occurs within fluids and between fluids and solids. It results from the resistance to flow within the fluid itself. Unlike solid friction, viscous friction increases with the relative velocity between fluid layers or between a fluid and a solid surface. It's responsible for phenomena like drag on objects moving through fluids and energy loss in fluid flows.
Q: How does friction affect the behavior of granular materials like sand?
A:
Friction between individual grains in granular materials like sand determines many of their bulk properties. It affects how the material flows, piles up, and responds to stress. The angle of repose of a sand pile, for instance, is determined by the friction between the grains. Understanding granular friction is important in fields ranging from construction to pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Q: What role does friction play in the formation of mountains and other geological features?
A:
Friction plays a crucial role in plate tectonics and the formation of geological features. When tectonic plates collide, friction between them causes deformation, uplift, and the formation of mountains. Friction also contributes to earthquakes when built-up stress is suddenly released along fault lines.
Articles