Physics GCSE
friction
What friction means in Physics GCSE, as defined for AQA, OCR.
Definitions of friction
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Reference: AQA
The force available at the tyres and at the brakes, which is lowered by a film of water or ice between tyre and surface.
Acts along the surfaces where two objects slide or try to slide past each other, always opposing the relative motion.
Reduced at the tyres on a wet road or with worn tyres, which lengthens the braking distance.
A contact force opposing relative motion along surfaces, such as a box slowing on a floor.
Topics that use friction
- Contact and non-contact forces (AQA GCSE)
- Factors affecting braking distance 1 (AQA GCSE)
- Newton's laws (OCR GCSE)
Related terms
- normal contact force
- resultant
- work done
- acting on different objects
- attraction and repulsion
- balanced forces
- changing direction
- Circular motion
Using friction in the exam
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