Engineering Worksheet: Friction
Engineer's tip (Rough grips, smooth slides): More friction: rough, dry, grippy. Less friction: smooth, oiled, wet, icy, rolling, powdered. Helpful for grip and braking; a problem when it wears or heats parts. Friction test: bigger force needed → more friction.
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- 1.🛞 The same block is pulled at a steady speed across four surfaces. The forces needed were: a wooden plank 6 N, a carpet 7 N, sandpaper 10 N, ice 4 N. Which surface gave the most friction? (a) ice (b) a wooden plank (c) sandpaper (d) a carpet
- 2.🛞 The same block is pulled at a steady speed across four surfaces. The forces needed were: a carpet 9 N, sandpaper 12 N, a glass sheet 2 N, a wooden plank 6 N. How many newtons more were needed on sandpaper than on a glass sheet?
- 3.🛞 Which surface gives the MOST friction to a sliding block? (a) sandpaper (b) polished marble (c) glass (d) ice
- 4.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) a grippy rubber sole (b) a rough doormat (c) oil on a squeaky hinge (d) sand on a slippery path
- 5.🛞 The same block is pulled at a steady speed across four surfaces. The forces needed were: a carpet 5 N, sandpaper 8 N, ice 1 N, a glass sheet 2 N. Which surface gave the most friction? (a) ice (b) sandpaper (c) a glass sheet (d) a carpet
- 6.🛞 Is friction helpful or a problem here: gripping a cricket bat? (a) helpful (b) a problem
- 7.True or false: a wheel on ball bearings gives more friction. (a) False (b) True
- 8.🛞 Friction acts … (a) only on ice (b) with the motion (c) only upwards (d) against the motion
- 9.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) a tyre with deep treads (b) sand on a slippery path (c) a smooth steel slide (d) a rough doormat
- 10.True or false: a box pushed on carpet gives more friction. (a) True (b) False
- 11.🛞 The same block is pulled at a steady speed across four surfaces. The forces needed were: sandpaper 6 N, a glass sheet 2 N, a wooden plank 3 N, a carpet 4 N. Which surface gave the least friction? (a) a glass sheet (b) sandpaper (c) a carpet (d) a wooden plank
- 12.True or false: a box pushed on carpet gives less friction. (a) False (b) True
- 13.🛞 The same block is pulled at a steady speed across four surfaces. The forces needed were: sandpaper 7 N, ice 1 N, a wooden plank 3 N, a carpet 6 N. Which surface gave the least friction? (a) a wooden plank (b) sandpaper (c) a carpet (d) ice
- 14.🛞 The same block is pulled at a steady speed across four surfaces. The forces needed were: ice 3 N, a glass sheet 7 N, a wooden plank 8 N, sandpaper 12 N. Which surface gave the least friction? (a) sandpaper (b) ice (c) a wooden plank (d) a glass sheet
- 15.🛞 More or less friction: chalk on a gym bar? (a) more friction (b) less friction
- 16.🛞 More or less friction: sand on a slippery path? (a) less friction (b) more friction
- 17.🛞 The same block is pulled at a steady speed across four surfaces. The forces needed were: sandpaper 12 N, ice 3 N, a glass sheet 4 N, a carpet 8 N. Which surface gave the most friction? (a) a carpet (b) sandpaper (c) ice (d) a glass sheet
- 18.🛞 Is friction helpful or a problem here: a door hinge squeaking? (a) a problem (b) helpful
- 19.True or false: a smooth steel slide gives more friction. (a) False (b) True
- 20.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) a smooth steel slide (b) a box pushed on carpet (c) skating on ice (d) a wet tiled floor
- 21.🛞 The same block is pulled at a steady speed across four surfaces. The forces needed were: ice 3 N, a glass sheet 5 N, a wooden plank 9 N, sandpaper 12 N. Which surface gave the most friction? (a) sandpaper (b) a glass sheet (c) a wooden plank (d) ice
- 22.🛞 More or less friction: a tyre with deep treads? (a) less friction (b) more friction
- 23.True or false: oil on a squeaky hinge gives more friction. (a) False (b) True
- 24.🛞 More or less friction: a box pushed on carpet? (a) less friction (b) more friction
- 25.🛞 More or less friction: oil on a squeaky hinge? (a) more friction (b) less friction
- 26.True or false: a rough doormat gives less friction. (a) False (b) True
- 27.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) a wet tiled floor (b) a tyre with deep treads (c) a grippy rubber sole (d) chalk on a gym bar
- 28.🛞 The same block is pulled at a steady speed across four surfaces. The forces needed were: ice 2 N, a glass sheet 6 N, a carpet 9 N, sandpaper 12 N. Which surface gave the least friction? (a) a glass sheet (b) sandpaper (c) ice (d) a carpet
- 29.🛞 The same block is pulled at a steady speed across four surfaces. The forces needed were: ice 3 N, a glass sheet 4 N, a wooden plank 5 N, sandpaper 9 N. Which surface gave the most friction? (a) a glass sheet (b) ice (c) a wooden plank (d) sandpaper
- 30.True or false: a rough doormat gives more friction. (a) False (b) True
- 31.🛞 How can we reduce friction in a machine? (a) add sand (b) make parts rough (c) oil the moving parts (d) press parts harder
- 32.🛞 The same block is pulled at a steady speed across four surfaces. The forces needed were: ice 2 N, a glass sheet 4 N, a wooden plank 8 N, sandpaper 9 N. How many newtons more were needed on sandpaper than on ice?
- 33.🛞 Is friction helpful or a problem here: writing with a pencil? (a) a problem (b) helpful
- 34.🛞 The same block is pulled at a steady speed across four surfaces. The forces needed were: a carpet 5 N, sandpaper 8 N, a glass sheet 2 N, a wooden plank 3 N. Which surface gave the least friction? (a) sandpaper (b) a glass sheet (c) a wooden plank (d) a carpet
- 35.🛞 Why are tyres made with deep treads? (a) to save rubber (b) to look nice (c) to grip the road (d) to go slower
- 36.🛞 The same block is pulled at a steady speed across four surfaces. The forces needed were: sandpaper 6 N, a glass sheet 2 N, a wooden plank 4 N, a carpet 5 N. Which surface gave the most friction? (a) a wooden plank (b) a carpet (c) a glass sheet (d) sandpaper
- 37.🛞 Is friction helpful or a problem here: striking a matchstick? (a) a problem (b) helpful
- 38.🛞 More or less friction: a wet tiled floor? (a) less friction (b) more friction
- 39.True or false: skating on ice gives less friction. (a) True (b) False
- 40.🛞 Is friction helpful or a problem here: brakes stopping a cycle? (a) a problem (b) helpful
Answer key
- sandpaper
- 10
- sandpaper
- oil on a squeaky hinge
- sandpaper
- helpful
- False
- against the motion
- a smooth steel slide
- True
- a glass sheet
- False
- ice
- ice
- more friction
- more friction
- sandpaper
- a problem
- False
- a box pushed on carpet
- sandpaper
- more friction
- False
- more friction
- less friction
- False
- a wet tiled floor
- ice
- sandpaper
- True
- oil the moving parts
- 7
- helpful
- a glass sheet
- to grip the road
- sandpaper
- helpful
- less friction
- True
- helpful
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