The Force of Friction
Friction is involved in many aspects of skateboarding.
In the first of two lessons of this curricular unit, students are introduced to the concept of friction as a force that impedes motion when two surfaces are in contact. Student teams use spring scales to drag objects, such as a ceramic coffee cup, along a table top or the floor, measuring the frictional force that exists between the moving object and the surface it slides on. By modifying the bottom surface of the object, students find out what kinds of surfaces generate more or less friction.
Friction is involved in many aspects of skateboarding. For example, while the wheel bearings should produce little friction, enough friction is needed between the wheels and the floor to keep the board from skidding during tight turns.Engineers must understand how friction affects a wide range of situations as they design consumer products, such as ski bottoms in which friction is a disadvantage and hiking boots where friction provides traction.