is friction a push or a pull?

Answer 1

A force is a push or a pull.

Friction is a force that opposes motion. Friction acts in a direction opposite to the object's direction in motion. Without friction, the object would continue to move at a constant speed forever. There are different forms of friction.

One type is called sliding friction. This is when two surfaces slide one over the other. A snowboarder slides over the snow covered slopes using sliding friction everyday.

When an object rolls over a surface, the kind of friction that occurs is rolling friction. Skate boarders take advantage of this type of friction all the time. Reducing the amount of friction between the surface and the wheels allow skaters to go really fast.

Friction also occurs in fluids (gases and liquids). This is how a surfer glides over the water or a shark glides through the water. This type is called fluid friction.

Basically, its neither pull or push.

Answer 2

Neither, or both. Friction is resistance to either a push or a pull, so if you are pulling something, friction"pushes"; if you are pushing something, friction "pulls". Don't think of it as a push or a pull but a force in the opposite direction of the force you are putting on an object. Study physics, and when you get to free body diagrams you will understand better.

Answer 3

"Friction is the "evil" of all motion. No matter which direction something moves in, friction pulls it the other way. Move something left, friction pulls right. Move something up, friction pulls down. It appears as if nature has given us friction to stop us from moving anything.

Friction is actually a force that appears whenever two things rub against each other. Although two objects might look smooth, microscopically, they're very rough and jagged.

As they slide against each other, their contact is anything BUT smooth. They both kind of grind and drag against each other. This is where friction comes from.

But friction is not all bad. In fact, it has a lot to do with life as we know it here on Earth. Without it, we wouldn't be able to walk, sit in a chair, climb stairs, or use a mouse to surf the web. Everything would just keep slipping and falling all over the place."

Answer 4

Friction is an electromagnetic force.

It's not an evil, as someone mentioned it. Otherwise walking, rolling & numerous other activities won't be possible.

Friction both stops & moves objects.

Consider a situation where a block is lying on a rough surface.
If you impart some velocity, it would eventually stop. Here friction is a pull.

Consider another situation in which a small block is lying on top of a big one. If you push the big block, friction drags the smaller one with it, as if trying to push it.

Hence, it can be regarded as both a push & a pull.

Answer 5

friction is neither a pull or push. friction is a process in which the energy is released by rubbing a substance over the other.

Answer 6

friction is an opposing force. you can't really consider it to be either. but i suppose if you must call it one or the other, it is whatever force that it is opposing.

if you're pushing a refridgerator, then the friction with the floor which is resisting is pushing back. if you tie a rope to the refridgerator and try to pull it, the friction is pulling back.

Answer 7

Friction is created while any two or more hard surfaces rub on each other!!!

It could be like sand paper scratching on wood, filing a metal piece, algined movement of a set of gear wheels,

While friction is going on, a small amount of heat is generated!!

Answer 8

Neither. It's the force acting in the direction opposite any force or force component vector parallel to the supporting plane of the object.

Notice also that friction is *always* parallel to the supporting plane.


Doug

Answer 9

Friction is a force

Answer 10

Well it is not really either, but kinds of both.
the air in front of object pushes it and due to pressure changes the air behind pulls on object