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Created 3/25/18. Updates available online.

Friction

Friction Screenshot
  • Friction
  • Thermodynamics
  • Heat
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About

Topics

  • Friction
  • Thermodynamics
  • Heat

Description

Learn how friction causes a material to heat up and melt. What happens on an atomic level when you rub two objects together?

Sample Learning Goals

  • Describe a model for friction a molecular level.
  • Describe matter in terms of molecular motion. The description should include: diagrams to support the description, how the temperature affects the image, what are the differences and similarities between solid, liquid and gas particle motion; how the size and speed of gas molecules relate to everyday objects.
Version 2.03

For Teachers

Teacher-Submitted Activities

Title Gold Star Contribution Contribution by PhET Authors Level Type
Algebra-based Physics Semester one lessons, clicker questions, and schedule in pdf (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 Lab
HW
Demo
Concept Questions for Chemistry using PhET A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein MS
UG-Intro
HS		 MC
Gases Understanding physical properties of gases (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 HW
Lab
Kinetic Molecular theory review A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro		 Demo
Energy Skate Park-NGSS aligned HS A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. PhET NGSS 2014 Workgroup HS Lab
CQs
Modeling Friction (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS Demo
Phases of Matter A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Dr. Wendy Adams UG-Intro
MS
HS		 Lab
Alignment of PhET sims with NGSS This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS Other
How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? This contribution was designed by PhET. Sarah Borenstein MS Other
Friction demonstration This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro
UG-Adv		 Demo
PhET Simulations Aligned for AP Physics C Roberta Tanner HS Other
MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment Elyse Zimmer HS
MS		 Other
Friction and Motion Amanda Turkel K-5 Lab
Guided
HW
Phet Skate Park Inquiry Lab and Graphical Modelling Activity Briana Clarke MS Guided
HW
Lab
Force and Motion Caroline Kenneally UG-Intro
HS		 CQs
Demo
HW
Friction Gretchen Swanson HS Lab
FRICTION_FORCES_in_1_dimension Panagiotis Arfanis MS
HS		 Lab
Simulações no Ensino de Fisica Carla Tavares HS Discuss
Lab
HW
Demo
Other
MC
Guided

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Translations

Language Download or Run Tips
Albanian All shqip Run now Fërkimi
Arabic All العربية Run now الاحتكاك
Arabic (Saudi Arabia) All العربية (السعودية) Run now الاحتكاك
Azerbaijani All Azerbaijani Run now Sürtünmə
Basque All Basque Run now Marruskadura
Belarusian All беларускі Run now Трэнне
Bosnian All Bosanski Run now Trenje (koncept)
Chinese (Simplified) All 中文 (中国) Run now 摩擦力
Chinese (Traditional) All 中文 (台灣) Run now 摩擦
Croatian All hrvatski Run now Trenje
Czech All čeština Run now Tření
Danish All Dansk Run now Friktion
Dutch All Nederlands Run now Wrijving
Estonian All Eesti Run now Hõõrdumine
Finnish All suomi Run now Kitka
French All français Run now Friction
Galician All Gallegan Run now friction
German All Deutsch Run now Reibung
Greek All Ελληνικά Run now Τριβή
Hebrew All עברית Run now חיכוך
Hungarian All magyar Run now Súrlódás
Indonesian All Bahasa Indonesia Run now Gesekan
Italian All italiano Run now Attrito
Japanese All 日本語 Run now 摩擦
Kannada All Kannada Run now ಘರ್ಷಣೆ
Kazakh All Kazakh Run now үйкеліс
Khmer All Khmer Run now កកិត
Korean All 한국어 Run now 마찰
Kurdish (Turkey) All Kurdish (Turkey) Run now Bergirî
Latvian All Latviešu Run now Berze
Macedonian All македонски Run now Триење
Marathi All मराठी Run now घर्षण
Mongolian All Mongolian Run now үрэлт
Persian All فارسی Run now اصطکاک
Polish All polski Run now Tarcie
Portuguese All português Run now Atrito
Portuguese (Brazil) All português (Brasil) Run now Atrito
Russian All русский Run now Трение
Serbian All Српски Run now Трење (концепт)
Slovak All Slovenčina Run now Trenie
Spanish All español Run now Fricción
Spanish (Mexico) All español (México) Run now Fricción
Spanish (Peru) All español (Perú) Run now Fricción
Swedish All svenska Run now Friktion
Tamil All Tamil Run now உராய்வு
Thai All ไทย Run now แรงเสียดทาน
Turkish All Türkçe Run now Sürtünme
Turkmen All Turkmen Run now Sürtülme
Ukrainian All українська Run now Тертя
Vietnamese All Tiếng Việt Run now Ma sát

Software Requirements

Windows Macintosh Linux
Microsoft Windows
XP/Vista/7/8.1/10
Macromedia Flash 9 or later
OS X 10.9.5 or later
Macromedia Flash 9 or later
Macromedia Flash 9 or later

Credits

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Michael Dubson (developer/lead)
  • Carl Wieman
  • Interviewer: Wendy Adams
  • Interviewer: Mindy Gratny
  • Interviewer: Danielle Harlow
English
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