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You already know that the force of friction depends on the nature of the surfaces in contact. Does it also depend on how hard the surfaces press each other? Is the friction acting on an object that is about to move larger than the friction after motion begins? Is the friction which acts on a rolling object less than that on a sliding object? Find answers to these questions and create an infographic. Such observations help explain why the invention of the wheel was a major milestone in human history.
![Project 1 — What else does the f - How Forces Affect Moti - [Teachoo] - Exploratory Projects](https://cdn.teachoo.com/ff8ddd03-4387-42bc-b9ab-32df85e69749/project-1-what-friction-depends-on.gif)
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Sample answer
How does the force of friction change?
Press the surfaces harder
The force of friction becomes larger
↓
Object about to move
Friction is larger than after the motion begins
↓
Object rolling instead of sliding
Friction becomes much smaller
↓
Rolling replaced sliding, so far less force was needed to move heavy loads
- Friction also depends on how hard the two surfaces press each other.
- The friction on an object about to move is larger than the friction once it is moving. That is why the first push is the hardest.
- The friction on a rolling object is much smaller than on a sliding object.
