Advantages and Disadvantages of Friction

Friction (Fr) is a force that acts at the interface between two bodies in contact or objects in motion that tends to prevent one from moving over the other. Simply said, it is a force of opposition.

Advantages of Friction

Walking ability:

Everyone takes it for granted because walking is an everyday activity. When someone is walking, there is a static frictional force at work. You can avoid sliding when walking thanks to frictional force.

Your foot scrapes against the ground while you try to walk; if frictional force weren't present, you'd slide backward. Your foot is propelled ahead by friction while you walk by pushing it in the direction you're trying to go. You must have observed how difficult and even dangerous walking on ice, damp, or muddy terrain can be. You might even slip if you're not careful. Due to less friction between both the surface & your feet.

Object Piling:

A great way to store things without taking up much floor space is to stack them up on top of one another. But did you ever ponder how objects remain stacked one on top of the other without collapsing? It is feasible to pile items because of the friction that exists between the two sides of the objects, which prevents the objects from sliding and allows for piling.

Stopping Moving Vehicles:

Moving vehicles can be stopped thanks to frictional force. When you press the brake pedal, the friction causes the car to slow down as well as eventually stop.

It's typical to ride a vehicle to work, the movies, or the grocery store. If you've ever been inside or driven a car, you are aware of how crucial brakes are. When a car brakes, the speed either decreases or stops altogether. The frictional force between both the brake discs and pads is created whenever you apply the brakes to your car.

Starts A Fire:

The discovery of fire by early humans was made possible by friction. In the past, people would brush dry stones or wooden branches to start a fire. Two items rubbed together to produce heat.

Even today, we use a matchstick to start a fire by rubbing its tip on the red stripe just next to the matchbox's side. Friction from the rubbing generates heat, which ignites a series of events that lead to a fire.

Transfer of Energy:

Energy can move between two things thanks to frictional force. Energy must be transferred for a machine to function properly, and this is accomplished through friction between two moving elements in a machine. Without frictional force, the components will slide and energy transfer will not be feasible.

Writing:

Writing is something that everyone does. With the use of frictional force, you can write on paper or a board using a pencil, pen, and chalk. Even when it is rough, the surface of paper or a board appears smooth to the human eye.

Friction is produced when the tip of a pen or pencil is moved over a board's or piece of paper's rough surface. Because of the friction, the lead from the pencil's tip gets trapped on the surface and forms the writing that we see. The same holds while using a pen. The paper's textured surface attracts the ink particle.

Wear Accessories:

One aspect of our wardrobe is the use of accessories like belts, jewelry, and headgear. Any accessories you wear must adhere to your body for them to stay on it. It is possible without adhesives thanks to frictional force. Hats and rings will slide off your head if there isn't any friction between them and your body.

Further, for those with poorer vision, glasses are worn. Due to the force of friction, the glasses remain on the top of the nose.

Keeping Hold of Things:

You carry several items with you whenever you leave the house, including your phone wallet, and keys. You can hold all these things in your hands because of friction.

Imagine one day waking up and discovering that you are unable to grasp onto anything-things just keep slipping out of your hands. The frictional force that acts between your hands and the object while you hold it in your hands prevents it from slipping.

Producing Heat

When two surfaces rub against one another, heat is produced. A spin welding machine, for example, uses this phenomenon and needs to be heated. When we're cold, we often rub our hands together. Our hands heat up as a result of friction created by rubbing our palms together.

Disadvantages of Friction

Energy Waste:

Energy never runs out; it merely transforms from one form to the other. To friction, it applies. The rubbing of two surfaces together generates heat. The two moving surfaces have kinetic energy, part of which is converted to heat energy. The kinetic energy is lost to produce heat, slowing the velocity of the items.

Motion Resisted:

The frictional force between two items causes them to rub against one another. Frictional force is defined as the opposition to the motion that occurs between two objects. It hinders sliding one thing off another and operates in the reverse direction of movement. Anything would not need much effort, regardless of how heavy it is, if there were no friction when sliding off. So, friction makes us put more effort and also resist motion simultaneously.

The shortened lifespan of moving machinery parts:

The life of moving machinery components is shortened by frictional force. A machine's parts might swiftly wear down if two of them constantly rub against one another.

Overheating:

Heat is created when two surfaces rub against one another. Overheating can result when using moving-part machines for extended periods because of friction. Energy is lost when machinery parts are overheated, and the machine itself could also be damaged.

Forest Fires

Natural forest fires decimate plantations and wildlife severely. Furthermore, it raises carbon dioxide emissions, which contribute to global warming. Typically, natural causes are what start a forest fire. Tree branches rub against one another as a dry breeze blows across the plantations and trees. Because of the friction it creates, they eventually begin to heat up and catch fire.

Wear and Tear

The lifetime of items is considerably shortened by constant friction, which causes wear and tear. The expense of replacing worn-out items rises as a result of this. In the absence of frictional force, objects would not degrade quickly.

Reduced Effectiveness

Machine efficiency is reduced as a result of friction. How effectively a machine can convert energy is how its efficiency is determined.

Waste results from friction because it turns mechanical energy into heat that cannot be converted back to mechanical energy. The continual friction also causes things to break and wear out. Friction also results in a rise in energy usage.

Noise Production:

If not properly oiled, moving equipment elements like a door on a hinge make unneeded noise. Two rough surfaces rubbing against one another make a noise. This noise is a result of friction, which also causes noise pollution.

Conclusion

The frictional force is essential for finishing even our daily tasks. Friction is necessary for us to carry out our daily activities including walking, writing, and even holding objects. However, friction also contributes to the deterioration of equipment and other items, which makes replacement expensive. By creating heat, it also results in energy loss. So, we need to put up with friction.