What would happen to all things on Earth if friction lost it's grip and instantaneously did not exist???

Question

Slip and slide,anyone?????........Tom Science 3

Answer 1

To the extent that what we call "friction" is actually primarily mechanical locking (e.g., two sheets of sandpaper, or tire rubber and concrete mutually deforming each other) there would be no effect. I think the dividing line between friction and locking is subjective. One criterion could be: if the locking parts are large enough to see it's locking, else it's friction. Or, if oiling the surfaces would let them slide freely, it's friction. On both counts, automotive braking surfaces and fan belts are frictional.
Many man-made and geological structures would stay intact since they rely on various forms of locking for their strength. Imagine a handful of teflon-coated but rough-textured pebbles; you can still pile them up. You can pile up perfect friction-free spheres but these require an enclosure which must have tensile strength, which stone doesn't have much of. So we can have piles of rough stones but not smooth round ones. In general we could say that mountains are mostly locking structures but there could be some partial collapses.
Adhesion would still work. (Yes, oil can ruin adhesion, but adhesion doesn't depend on a normal force so it's not frictional.) Fasteners like nuts and bolts could be modified not to unthread (e.g., lockwiring) but smooth nails would not work. Is rope-on-rope frictional? Would we lose all those wonderful variations of knots? You decide.
Our modes of transportation would be different; traction on rough roads but not on smooth rails. Possibly rack-and-pinion gearing between locomotive and track (that's done now on steep runs). Braking could be regenerative or viscous-damped, with some sort of locking mechanism when stopped.
Walking? Could be more like skating if shoe soles are hard and smooth and on polished surfaces. (But sometimes that's how it is even when we have friction!) Swimming, boating, flying should work fine.

Answer 2

Have you heard the Paul Simon song "Slip sliding away"?

Answer 3

The phrase "Well oiled machine" would lose its meaning.

Answer 4

We. Would. Die.