A metal box and a wooden box having the same weight are moved on the same surface by equal forces. In your opinion, which of them will experience greater friction? Justify your answer.
Answer (1)
To determine which box experiences greater friction, we need to consider the concept of frictional force.
Friction is a force that opposes the motion of an object and acts parallel to the surface with which the object is in contact. The formula for frictional force F f is given by:
F f = μ F n
where μ is the coefficient of friction, and F n is the normal force. For objects moving on a horizontal surface, the normal force F n is equal to the weight of the object.
Coefficient of Friction ( μ ): Each material has its specific coefficient of friction. Metal typically has a higher coefficient of friction than wood when in contact with common surfaces, meaning it can experience more friction for the same normal force.
Same Weight: Since both boxes have the same weight, they exert the same normal force on the surface.
Therefore, if the surface characteristics with the two materials are typical, the metal box will generally experience greater friction due to its higher coefficient of friction.
Conclusion: The metal box will experience greater friction if the two boxes are moved using equal forces on the same surface, given that metal tends to have a higher coefficient of friction compared to wood.
