Question

Limiting friction is

• A. Directly proportional to the area of contact
• B. Inversely proportional to the area of contact
• C. Independent on the area ofcontact
• D. All of these

Answer 1

The correct option is C Independent on the area ofcontact

Answer is C.
The surface of bodies is not smooth, it has irregularities on a microscopic level. The frictional force between bodies is due to these irregularities interacting with each other. If one were to determine the actual surface area of two bodies that is in contact, it is much smaller than that of the apparent contact area when they are placed such that they are in contact.
If the normal reaction between the two bodies is increased, the microscopic irregularities are deformed such that there is an increase in the actual area of interaction between the bodies that results in the force of friction. It is this deformation of the surface of bodies due to the normal force that makes the frictional force independent of the shape and apparent area of contact and dependent only on the normal force.