What is the effect of reducing friction on a machine? will be discussed in this article. Before proceeding, let us first examine the concept of friction or frictional force.
What is friction?
Friction is described as a force that tends to oppose the motion of an object across any surface with which it comes into contact. This is due to the small irregularities that every surface has, no matter how smoothened it is.
Simply said, friction can be diminished but never completely removed. Friction is known for wearing things down over time, but on the other hand, we need it to get lots of things done in our day-to-day life.
As a result, there are numerous effects of friction in our daily lives. Depending on the circumstances, the presence of friction can have both advantages and disadvantages. For example, while we require friction when walking, the presence of friction in machines causes energy loss and wear and tear.
Friction can be reduced to make work simpler by using lubrication, ball bearings, polished surfaces, or rollers.
Effect of reducing friction on a machine
Friction is a force that works against the motion. Machines are made up of moving parts, which causes friction in numerous places. Now since the machine has parts that move, some of the energy will be used to fight friction (and lost as heat) instead of doing useful work.
An increase in the amount of energy required means an increase in the amount of work required per unit of time and that work is powered by some sort of fuel or organism.
So, if we reduce friction, we can decrease the amount of energy wasted on fighting friction and make the machine work better. Reducing friction would also lower the cost of operating the machine in question.
Ways of reducing friction in machines
Some of the methods used for reducing friction in machines are
- Using ball bearings or wheels between the moving parts of a machine
Because rolling friction is less than sliding friction, placing ball bearings or wheels between the moving components of a machine reduces friction. - Oiling or lubricating the moving parts of a machine
Oiling or lubricating a machine’s moving parts with graphite or grease decreases friction. As a lubricant to lessen friction, fine powders like talcum powder are also useful. - The friction of a rough surface can be reduced by polishing it.
Frequently asked questions
What does reducing friction do to a machine?
By reducing friction on a machine, you can make it work better and reduce the amount of heat that is produced between the parts of the machine. If friction isn’t scaled down, machine parts will be damaged by too much heat.
What happens if we don’t reduce friction in machines?
Due to excessive heat generation, machinery parts will be damaged if we don’t reduce friction.
Why is it important to overcome or reduce friction?
Friction stops things from moving or slows them down, so it’s important to cut it down. It also wears down surfaces and makes heat when they rub against each other. Fighting friction uses a lot of energy.
