Question

How does the friction depend on the nature of the surface?
[3 marks]

Answer 1

• Nature of the surface is one of the factors affecting friction. When an object moves on a surface, a force has to be applied to overcome the interlocking between the surfaces. [1 mark]
• When two surfaces in contact are smooth, then the friction between them is small because the interlocking of smooth surfaces is less. [1 mark]
• Rough surfaces have a larger number of irregularities which leads to more interlocking and greater frictional force. Hence the rough surface offers more friction than that of the relatively smooth surface. [1 mark]