The amount of friction exerted when an object moves across a surface depends on how the object and the surface rub together. For which of these surfaces will friction be greatest when a block of wood slides across it?
a)wet ice; b)glass mirror; c)thick carpet; d)waxed wood.
The friction experienced by an object when it moves across a surface depends on various factors, such as the smoothness and texture of the surface. In this case, to determine which surface will exert the greatest friction when a block of wood slides across it, we need to consider the relative smoothness and texture of each option:
a) Wet ice: Wet ice has a smooth surface due to the presence of water. Although friction occurs between the wood and the wet ice, the lubricating effect of the water reduces the friction significantly.
b) Glass mirror: Glass surfaces tend to be very smooth, often making them relatively low-friction surfaces. The block of wood will slide with less resistance on a glass mirror compared to rougher surfaces.
c) Thick carpet: Thick carpets have rough surfaces with fibers that can increase friction. The carpet's texture can generate resistance against the block of wood, making the friction relatively higher compared to smoother surfaces.
d) Waxed wood: Wood surfaces can vary in smoothness, but when waxed, the surface becomes smoother, reducing friction. Although friction will still occur, it will be less compared to rougher surfaces.
Based on these considerations, the surface with the greatest friction when a block of wood slides across it would be the thick carpet (option c).
To determine which surface will have the greatest friction when a block of wood slides across it, we need to consider the factors that affect friction. Friction is generally determined by the roughness or smoothness of the surfaces in contact.
In this case, let’s analyze each surface mentioned and assess its characteristics:
a) Wet ice: Ice is a relatively smooth surface, but when it is wet, a thin layer of water forms on top, making it even smoother. As a result, the block of wood will experience less friction when sliding on wet ice compared to other surfaces.
b) Glass mirror: Glass is known for its smoothness, and a mirror typically has a highly polished reflective surface. This makes it extremely smooth, resulting in minimal friction when the block of wood slides across it.
c) Thick carpet: Unlike the previous two surfaces, thick carpet is rough and has a lot of fibers. This roughness increases the contact area between the wood block and the carpet, leading to a greater amount of friction.
d) Waxed wood: Wood is generally rough, but when waxed, it becomes smoother due to the reduced friction between the wood fibers. While waxed wood will offer less friction than regular wood, it will still have more friction compared to wet ice and glass.
Considering these characteristics, the surface with the greatest amount of friction when the block of wood slides across it is c) Thick carpet.