What is friction?

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Correct answer

A force that opposes motion between two surfaces in contact

A A force that opposes motion between two surfaces in contact
B A force that helps objects move faster
C The weight of an object
D A type of gravity

Why this is the answer

Friction is a force that opposes the motion (or attempted motion) of two surfaces that are in contact with each other. It acts in the direction opposite to movement and depends on the nature of the surfaces and how hard they press together. Friction can be useful (it lets tires grip the road and brakes stop a car) or a hindrance (it wastes energy and causes wear, which lubricants reduce). Rougher surfaces and greater pressing force produce more friction. Recognizing friction as a force opposing motion — and its useful and wasteful effects — is fundamental to the force-and-motion topic.

Source: ASVAB MC, Friction

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About this topic: Force and Motion

Force and motion questions cover Newton's laws, friction, gravity, acceleration and momentum, usually as pictures of objects being pushed, pulled, dropped or balanced. Identify every force acting before deciding what the object will do. This is one of 13 Mechanical Comprehension questions on force and motion, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

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What is friction?

Why this is the answer

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About this topic: Force and Motion

Related questions

An object weighing 100 lbs is sitting on a frictionless inclined plane that makes a 30° angle with the horizontal. What force, applied parallel to the incline, is needed to keep the object from sliding down?

Two objects of different mass fall from the same height in a vacuum (no air resistance). Which hits the ground first?

A 5 kg object is pushed across a level floor with a force of 20 Newtons. What is its acceleration? (Ignore friction.)

Two objects collide. Object A weighs 10 kg moving at 5 m/s. Object B weighs 5 kg at rest. After the collision they stick together. What is their combined velocity? (Conservation of momentum.)

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