Friction in Action
"What force causes a soccer ball to eventually stop rolling on grass?"
Friction
"What force pulls objects toward the Earth?"
Gravity
"Why do objects fall to the ground when dropped?"
Because of gravity.
"Why do track athletes wear spiked shoes?"
To increase friction and prevent slipping.
"What force do you feel when you go down a slide?"
Gravity.
"Which surface has more friction: sandpaper or ice?"
Sandpaper
"True or False: Friction only acts on moving objects."
False (friction can also act on stationary objects).
"What makes your backpack feel heavier on Earth than it would on the Moon?"
More gravity on Earth.
"Why is it harder to stop a car on a wet road?"
Less friction.
"What force slows you down when you slide across the floor in socks?"
Friction.
"What happens to your speed when friction increases?"
You slow down.
"What happens to an object if you apply an unbalanced force?"
It changes speed or direction.
"If you jump, why do you come back down instead of floating away?"
Because of gravity pulling you back.
"Why do ice skaters glide easily on the rink?"
Because ice creates very little friction.
"If two people push a box with the same force but in opposite directions, what happens?"
The forces cancel out (no motion).
"Name a real-world situation where less friction is helpful."
Ice skating, skiing, water slides, etc.
"What happens when you push a shopping cart with more force?"
It moves faster or goes farther.
"When you drop two objects (a tennis ball and a pencil) from the same height, which hits the ground first?"
They land at the same time (if no air resistance).
"Why do athletes in sports like skiing and snowboarding want less friction?"
To move faster.
"You are riding your bike and hit a patch of mud. What happens to your speed? Why?
You slow down because of increased friction.
"Why do car tires have treads/bumps instead of smooth surfaces?"
To increase friction and prevent slipping.
"When two forces are balanced, what happens to the object’s motion?"
It stays still or moves at a constant speed.
"If gravity suddenly disappeared, what would happen to objects in the air?"
They would float away.
"How does gravity help us stay on the ground?"
It pulls us toward the center of the Earth.
"You throw a ball into the air. As it goes up, it slows down. What force is causing it to slow down?"
Gravity.