I have learnt that when we push an object on a horizontal plane with a certain angle, we are increasing its normal reaction and therefore friction increases. Whereas if we pull it, friction decreases. Is that true?
Yes, there is more friction if you push down, at an angle, than if you pull horizontally
Yes, it is true that when you push an object on a horizontal plane at an angle, you increase its normal reaction and, consequently, the friction between the object and the surface increases. On the other hand, if you pull the object horizontally, the friction decreases.
To understand this concept, let's break it down step by step:
1. Normal reaction: The normal reaction refers to the force exerted by a surface to support the weight of an object placed on it. It acts perpendicular to the surface. When an object is placed on a horizontal surface, the normal reaction is equal to the weight of the object acting in the opposite direction.
2. Friction: Friction is the force that resists the relative motion between two surfaces in contact with each other. It acts parallel to the surface, opposing the motion or tendency of motion.
3. Pushing an object at an angle: When you push an object at an angle against a horizontal surface, you exert a force that has both vertical and horizontal components. The vertical component contributes to increasing the normal reaction because it adds to the weight of the object, resulting in a greater force pushing the surfaces together. As a result, the friction between the object and the surface increases.
4. Pulling an object horizontally: When you pull an object horizontally, the force you apply is primarily in the horizontal direction. Since the weight of the object still contributes to the normal reaction, the friction remains present but relatively lower in comparison to pushing at an angle.
Overall, when pushing an object on a horizontal plane with a certain angle, you increase the normal reaction, which results in higher friction between the object and the surface. On the other hand, pulling horizontally reduces the vertical force component and, therefore, decreases the friction between the object and the surface.