Friction

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Friction is the force resisting the relative lateral (tangential) motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, or material elements in contact. It is usually subdivided into several varieties:

Friction is not a fundamental force, as it is derived from electromagnetic force between charged particles, including electrons, protons, atoms, and molecules, and so cannot be calculated from first principles, but instead must be found empirically. When contacting surfaces move relative to each other, the friction between the two surfaces converts kinetic energy into thermal energy, or heat. Contrary to earlier explanations, kinetic friction is now understood not to be caused by surface roughness but by chemical bonding between the surfaces. Surface roughness and contact area, however, do affect kinetic friction for micro- and nano-scale objects where surface area forces dominate inertial forces.

For more information about Friction, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.


News tagged with friction

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Fault weaknesses, the center cannot hold for some geologic faults

Fault weaknesses, the center cannot hold for some geologic faults

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Dec 16, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (4) | comments 0

Some geologic faults that appear strong and stable, slip and slide like weak faults. Now an international team of researchers has laboratory evidence showing why some faults that "should not" slip are weaker ...


Metamaterials could reduce friction in nanomachines

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Dec 07, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (4) | comments 2

(PhysOrg.com) -- Nanoscale machines expected to have wide application in industry, energy, medicine and other fields may someday operate far more efficiently thanks to important theoretical discoveries concerning the manipulation ...


NASA Uses Twin Processes to Develop New Tank Dome Technology

NASA Uses Twin Processes to Develop New Tank Dome Technology

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Dec 02, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (3) | comments 2

(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA has partnered with Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver, Colo., and MT Aerospace in Augsburg, Germany, to successfully manufacture the first full-scale friction stir welded and spun ...


Friction force differences could offer a new means for sorting and assembling nanotubes

Friction force differences offer new means for manipulating nanotubes

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Sep 15, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (3) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Nanotubes and nanowires are promising building blocks for future integrated nanoelectronic and photonic circuits, nanosensors, interconnects and electro-mechanical nanodevices. But some fundamental ...


Quantum Levitation

Researchers see exotic force for first time

Physics / General Physics

created Jan 07, 2009 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (29) | comments 17

(PhysOrg.com) -- For the first time, researchers have measured a long-theorized force that operates at distances so tiny they’re measured in billionths of a meter, which may have important applications in ...


Models present new view of nanoscale friction

Models present new view of nanoscale friction

Nanotechnology / Nanophysics

created Feb 25, 2009 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (8) | comments 1

(PhysOrg.com) -- To understand friction on a very small scale, a team of University of Wisconsin-Madison engineers had to think big.


Bionanomachines: Proteins as resistance fighters

Bionanomachines: Proteins as resistance fighters

Biology / Biotechnology

created Aug 14, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Friction limits the speed and efficiency of macroscopic engines. Is this also true for nanomachines? A Dresden research team used laser tweezers to measure the friction between a single motor ...


fingerprint

Get a grip! Blistering new evidence on why we have fingerprints

Biology / Evolution

created May 29, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (11) | comments 10

(PhysOrg.com) -- Fingerprints do not help primates grip, as previously thought, scientists have discovered. They actually reduce the friction needed to hold onto flat surfaces. Now Dr Roland Ennos and his ...


Quantitative approach to forensic fingerprint comparison studied

Technology / Computer Sciences

created Nov 30, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has awarded researchers at Virginia Tech a two-year, $854,907 grant to develop a quantitative approach to measuring and establishing a standard for "sufficiency" of information available ...


fingerprint

Fingerprints do not improve grip friction

Biology / Evolution

created Jun 12, 2009 | popularity 2.4 / 5 (11) | comments 5

Fingerprints mark us out as individuals and leave telltale signs of our presence on every object that we touch, but what are fingerprints really for? According to Roland Ennos, from the University of Manchester, ...


Study of gecko feet leads to advances in the science of friction (w/Video)

Nanotechnology / Nanophysics

created Jun 04, 2009 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (3) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Whether it’s driving on icy roads, rock climbing, or getting a better grip on a bat, the science of friction and adhesion plays a role—large and small—in many human activities. In a new research paper published ...


AlMgB Nanocoating

Nanocoatings boost industrial energy efficiency

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Nov 18, 2008 | popularity 4.9 / 5 (15) | comments 0

Friction is the bane of any machine. When moving parts are subject to friction, it takes more energy to move them, the machine doesn't operate as efficiently, and the parts have a tendency to wear out over ...


High levels of cycling training damage triathletes' sperm

Medicine & Health / Health

created Jun 29, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 1

The high-intensity training undertaken by triathletes has a significant impact on the quality of their sperm, the 25th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology heard today (Monday 29 ...


DNA gripped in nanopores

Nanotechnology / Bio & Medicine

created May 14, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Molecular biologists, including the cool dudes from CSI, use gel electrophoresis to separate DNA fragments from each other in order to analyze the DNA. A team of researchers under the leadership of Vici winner Serge Lemay, ...


'Fossil earthquakes' abundant

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Jan 28, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (3) | comments 1

Rocks formed only under the extreme heat and friction during earthquakes, called pseudotachylytes, may be more abundant than previously reported, according to new research focused on eight faults found in the Sierra Nevada. ...



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