How Does Friction Affect Motion?

By Staff WriterLast Updated March 26, 2020

Since friction opposes movement, it causes resistance that makes it harder for a sliding object to move, thus slowing down movement. Friction can be seen through the example of a car making a stop; the wheels and breaks cause friction, making the car slow down. In addition to affecting solid objects, friction also causes resistance with glass and liquids by causing a collision that results in heat.

There are many types of friction. Sliding friction is what occurs when a car stops, and it happens when there’s resistance that causes a moving object to slow down. Another type is static friction, which relates to how much force is required to move things that are at rest. More force is typically needed to move an object at rest.