Red Light, Green Light: Forces of Friction, Roads & Tires
Building upon their understanding of forces and Newton's laws of motion, students learn about the force of friction, specifically with respect to cars. They explore the friction between tires and the road to learn how it affects the movement of cars while driving. In an associated literacy activity, students explore the theme of conflict in literature, and the difference between internal and external conflict, and various types of conflicts. Stories are used to discuss methods of managing and resolving conflict and interpersonal friction.
Cars on the road exhibit frictionCopyright Image by tookapic from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/photos/car-road-tire-asphalt-vehicle-932455/
Accessed: July 29, 2020
Engineers use their understanding of the force of friction to design safe roads, tires, cars and brakes. Transportation and automotive engineers make sure that roads and tires provide the right amount of friction because friction provides traction and control for a safe driving experience, especially in icy or wet conditions. Even designing how paper is moved through a copy machine involves an understanding of friction. Engineers also reduce the force of friction between moving mechanical parts (in engines, tools, artificial limbs, etc.) so the parts run smoother and last longer.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Explain how friction relates to the movement of cars (moving forward, stopping, turning corners).
- Define friction as a force that resists the motion of an object moving relative to another object
- Predict ways to improve the movement of cars in snow and ice, and explain why
- Relate engineering with frictional forces, especially when designing automobiles