Rolling vs. Skidding

DCS Code: 1K20.37 Last Updated: March 27, 2026
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Purpose

A chalked wheel rolled along a blackboard leaves a clear tread pattern; the same wheel dragged (skidding) leaves a smeared streak. This contrast shows that rolling involves static friction (no relative motion at the contact point) while skidding involves kinetic friction (continuous sliding).

Wheel with tan plastic spokes and knobby black rubber tire on a metal axle, with chalk nearby and tread-pattern marks visible on the chalkboard behind
Figure 1: The demonstration wheel with knobby tread pattern and chalk. The chalkboard behind shows the clear tread imprint from rolling and a smeared streak from skidding.