Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Friction is a force that opposes relative motion between two surfaces in contact. It arises due to microscopic irregularities between surfaces and can cause objects to slow down or come to rest.
Kinetic friction occurs when two surfaces are already in motion relative to each other and experience resistance as they slide past each other.
Rolling Friction: Rolling friction is the type of friction that occurs when an object rolls over a surface, such as a ball rolling on the ground. It is generally lower than sliding friction.