Frictional Forces

Frictional forces are the resistance that occurs when two surfaces come into contact and move or attempt to move relative to each other. In Newtonian mechanics, friction acts opposite to the direction of motion, making it harder for objects to slide. This force arises from the microscopic interactions between the surfaces, such as adhesion and irregularities. There are two main types: static friction, which prevents motion until a certain threshold is reached, and kinetic friction, which acts when objects are already sliding. Understanding friction is crucial in predicting how objects will behave when pushed or pulled.