Friction & Air Resistance
Friction Force that opposes the sliding motion of two surfaces that are touching each other Direct contact force
When two surfaces are in contact, welding or sticking occurs where the bumps from each surface touch Amount of friction depends on: Kind of surface Force pressing surfaces together Greater the force, greater the microwelds
Static friction Frictional force that prevents two surfaces from sliding past each other. Unless the force acted on the object is great enough to break the microwelds between the surfaces, the object will not move
Air resistance Friction-like force that opposes motion of objects that move through air Causes objects to fall with different accelerations and speeds
Air Resistance Depends on the size, shape and speed of the object Not its’ mass!!! If 2 different massed objects were to be dropped at same time without air resistance they would hit ground at same time
Practice Question What letter represents a feather and apple dropped at the same time in real life? What letter represents a feather and apple in space or a vacuum where there is no air resistance?
Terminal velocity The faster something falls the greater the force of air resistance Eventually reach terminal velocity (maximum velocity) two forces (air resistance and gravity) cancel each other out Net Force = 0 N Causes the object to fall at a constant speed (acceleration= 0 m/s2)