Friction

I did some research on friction, and though I have too much information to submit in my final, I have decided to put what I have found and translated into my own definition and meaning, to my blog for personal reference to me when creating my design. 

Friction: Define & Examples. Research aspects of friction as related to vehicles and propose means to elimate/reduce friction when designing you vehicle.

Friction is a resistant force and occurs when any two objects (solid, liquid or gas) come into contact with each other. If an object is going one way – friction is pulling the object in the other direction.

Friction can occur between any of the following;

·       Two solid objects – the wheels of the kart and the surface of the track, the gear kogs, the cooper wire and the fishing line, the wire holding the tires together and the plastic tube etc.

·       Solid and Air – (Also known as air resistance), this can occur anywhere in the direction the kart is travelling, when the kart pushes forward, the air resistance will be pushing back on it.

·       Solid and Liquid – not as relevant to this design brief but an example of this could be a person waddling in the water

·       Liquid and Air – once again, not as relevant to this brief, but you notice this type of friction when water falls over a waterfall and is turned into spray due to the friction with the air.

Friction is useful for;

·       Grip –the purposeful friction made into the wheels in order for them to have grip on the floor. This stops the tires from spinning. But in everyday uses, it is used in most items designed to move and stop – anything from motorbikes to the grip on shoes.

·       Positive Air resistance – though not entirely relevant to this experiment, parachutes and similar inventions use air resistance to work (to catch the air, allowing the rider to ‘float’)

·       Brakes – though our kart will not come with brakes, friction is used to slow down and stop transport vehicles, (cars, motorbikes, trains etc. ) by applying pressure (in simplest form) to the wheel which thus causes the form of transport to slow down and stop.

Friction is a problem when;

·       The wear between surfaces causes machernery to wear away and need replacement

·       Friction/air resistance/drag is a waste of energy in machines for it has to create a stronger force to counter the friction pushing back on it.

o   Also slows down moving objects

Ways to reduce friction;

·       Lubricating oil and grease between surfaces

·       Wheels or ball bearings or polystyrene balls to roll the surfaces past each other

·       Cushions of air (as in hovercrafts for they avoid the friction with the ground)

·       Streamlined shapes to keep air resistance at a minimum.

                                                                 

·       All friction is not all bad

·       E.g. brakes – it is the friction between the brakes and the wheels, which cause the thing to stop.

·       Water, oil and other forms of lubricants reduce friction