Although humans have been harnessing its power since rubbing two sticks together to build the first fire, the physics of friction remain largely in the dark. Now, Brandeis research is showing that ...

ETH Zurich scientists measure rolling friction in micrometer-sized particles, enhancing understanding of suspensions in ...

Materials scientists are measuring the rolling friction of tiny, micrometer-sized particles. These measurements permit them to better understand everyday products such as concrete.

However, this is a good thing for ice skating and sledging. Friction is a force between two surfaces that are sliding, or trying to slide, across each other. For example, when you try to push a ...

The buildup of static charge often occurs due to friction. At a microscopic level, even smooth surfaces are rough and irregular.

When two surfaces are in contact ... suspected that there is no static friction coefficient, but now we have conclusively proven this by using optical micro-measurements of unprecedented accuracy ...

From ketchup and paint to concrete and orange juice, many everyday materials are what scientists call suspensions—liquids ...

ETH Zurich Materials Scientists are the first to measure the microscopic forces involved when particles ... The researchers derived friction coefficients from the measurements, which are now being ...