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Generally surface roughness increases friction. For example, take a piece of course sandpaper and rub it on a piece of wood. The smooth side will slide easier to slide on the wood than the rough side.

Then you might ask why Indy Car tires are smooth.
Groves were put in tires to wick water away from between the surface of the road and the tire to prevent hydroplaning.
Indy tires are run on dry surfaces. And, the lack of groves increases the surface area. Also note they use very very grippy rubber, kind of like the paper separation rollers on a laser printer.

Another exception might be that very smooth, flat items stuck together can form a seal, with or without the presence of a lubricant like grease or water. A seal can increase friction more than would otherwise be expected.
Surface roughness or imperfections can break the seal and decrease friction.

One final note is that the surface dimpling on a Golf ball might actually help make a static air buffer around the golf ball and decrease it's air friction.

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14y ago
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6mo ago

Surface roughness refers to the irregularities or texture on the surface of an object. It indicates how uneven or smooth a surface is by measuring the height variations of its peaks and valleys. A rough surface has more pronounced peaks and valleys, while a smooth surface has fewer and smaller irregularities.

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14y ago

rough as a cob, smooth as a baby's butt, slick as ice

if you are describing sandpaper or comparing something to sandpaper, there are numbers that relate to the abrasive's coarseness: the grit size ranges from (very coarse) 30 to (very fine) 1600. See link.

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Q: Simple way of explaining surface roughness?
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Continue Learning about Physics

What is the best way to reduce friction on a plane?

To reduce friction on a plane, aerodynamic designs like smooth surfaces, streamlined shapes, and reducing surface roughness can help. Additionally, using lubricants on moving parts and ensuring proper maintenance can also help reduce friction.


Why do smooth surfaces appear uneven on a microscopic level?

Smooth surfaces can appear uneven on a microscopic level due to variations in surface roughness, imperfections, and irregularities at a very small scale. These imperfections can scatter light in different directions, creating a perceived roughness even when the surface appears smooth at a larger scale. Additionally, the way light interacts with the surface and reflects off of it can contribute to the perception of unevenness.


What are the main factors on which friction depends?

Friction depends on the roughness of the surfaces in contact, the amount of force pushing the surfaces together, and the type of materials involved. Additionally, friction can be influenced by factors such as surface area, temperature, and the presence of lubricants.


What are the different ways on how to reduce and increase frictional force?

To reduce frictional force, you can use lubricants or materials with lower friction coefficients, polish surfaces to make them smoother, or decrease the contact force between surfaces. To increase frictional force, you can increase the roughness of surfaces, apply greater force pressing the surfaces together, or use materials with higher friction coefficients.


What refers to the way light reflects from the surface from the surface of a mineral?

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