Friction Surfaces

DCS Code: 1K20.06 Last Updated: March 27, 2026
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Purpose

Rubbing two metal blocks together produces a grating sound, making audible the microscopic surface interactions that cause friction. Students hear direct evidence that friction converts mechanical energy into sound and heat.

A smaller polished metal block resting on a larger darker metal block, both showing scratched and worn surfaces
Figure 1: Two metal blocks with visibly scratched surfaces. Rubbing them together produces a loud grating sound from surface roughness.