Fascinating Friction!
Students use wood, wax paper and oil to investigate the importance of lubrication between materials and to understand the concept of friction. Using wax paper and oil placed between pieces of wood, the function of lubricants between materials is illustrated. Students extend their understanding of friction to bones and joints in the skeletal system and become aware of what engineers can do to help reduce friction in the human body as well as in machines.
Students examine friction in our bonesCopyright https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT7wucT2MnHzXBzJAHYg9FgjJ_9aBSjfa1xng2pCfD4DVtNkZzhWg
Many machines that engineers design use joints similar to the ones found in our bodies. Both the joints in machines and the joints in our bodies are susceptible to friction. Our bodies use synovial fluid to reduce friction, and machines use lubricating fluids for the same purpose. Astronauts have some special challenges due to the lack of friction in outer space.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Define and describe friction in everyday life.
- Relate friction to bones and joints in the human body.
- Explain what the human body and engineers do to reduce friction.
- Describe how the astronauts learn to work without friction in outer space.