FRICTION: FRIEND OR FOE?
When on a mission, you will need to be on the lookout for anything that may slow you down or get in your way. When you need to flee quickly from danger, friction may slow you down. When you are in a slippery situation, you may need to use friction to your own advantage. Friction can be on your side in one situation and against you in the next. Many people that have taken this road before you have learned the hard way that you need to really know your enemy, and at times, your enemy could be friction. Please read the material presented here carefully. We have also included a training video and some experiments that will help you gain a better understanding of this complicated force.
Friction is a powerful force! Find out more in this Bill Nye training video that is all about friction (Please keep this information confidential. Bill Nye is actually a secret agent and has been working for the agency for years).
Friction is a powerful force! Find out more in this Bill Nye training video that is all about friction (Please keep this information confidential. Bill Nye is actually a secret agent and has been working for the agency for years).
SURFACE TEXTURE:
Friction is the force of resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over or against another surface. Surface texture plays a large role in how much friction an object encounters. As you work through the tasks below, record your thoughts in your Secret Agent training journal as your supervisor will want to review it after your missions are completed in full.
Friction is the force of resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over or against another surface. Surface texture plays a large role in how much friction an object encounters. As you work through the tasks below, record your thoughts in your Secret Agent training journal as your supervisor will want to review it after your missions are completed in full.
Think About This!
1.) We can classify surface textures into three main categories; rough or bumpy, smooth and slippery. Think of an example for each type of surface texture and think about the way in which the motion of an object being pulled across that surface would be affected by the surface texture.
2.) What we wear on our feet to participate in various sports has a lot to do with surface texture. Imagine what it would be like if you tried to play basketball with ballet slippers on, or tried to play ice hockey in cleats! Look at the three items of footwear below. Explain when you would choose to wear each piece of footwear and why. Be sure to include details about friction and surface texture in your answers.
2.) What we wear on our feet to participate in various sports has a lot to do with surface texture. Imagine what it would be like if you tried to play basketball with ballet slippers on, or tried to play ice hockey in cleats! Look at the three items of footwear below. Explain when you would choose to wear each piece of footwear and why. Be sure to include details about friction and surface texture in your answers.
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Try This!
Friction can produce energy! These activities can help you determine the types of energy created by friction.
Activity #1- First of all, make sure that you have pants or long shorts on before trying this out. Place the palms of both of your hands onto your thighs. Rub your palms up and down your thighs for about 15 seconds. Use your senses to make some observations. What did you notice?
Activity #2- Get an eraser that is big enough to hold comfortably in your hand. Use a surface like a desk or a table that it is okay to use the eraser on. Rapidly move the eraser back and forth across the surface for about 15 seconds. Again, use your senses to make some observations. What did you notice?
Activity #1- First of all, make sure that you have pants or long shorts on before trying this out. Place the palms of both of your hands onto your thighs. Rub your palms up and down your thighs for about 15 seconds. Use your senses to make some observations. What did you notice?
Activity #2- Get an eraser that is big enough to hold comfortably in your hand. Use a surface like a desk or a table that it is okay to use the eraser on. Rapidly move the eraser back and forth across the surface for about 15 seconds. Again, use your senses to make some observations. What did you notice?
Think About This!
What might happen if you tried activity #2 again, but this time you used the eraser on a surface that was covered with sandpaper? Make a prediction about might happen if you were to change the surface texture in the activity in this way.
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TEST YOUR THEORY!
Attention agent in training! Now that you have had some hands on experience with friction, you will need to test your theory out by exploring with the virtual environment provided for you here. Think about all that you have learned as you select the various the surfaces. We have great confidence in you! Click on the picture below to continue your training. Explore using activity and then take the quiz when you feel ready.
HIDDEN LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE:
In order to gain access to each level of knowledge in this mission you must first gain access to the hidden mission page links. To do that you must click on the link below: