Mechanical Engineering
Friction does not depend on how much surface is touching. The reason is that the surfaces are barely touching at all
8 Sept 2026 · 11 min read
Everyone is taught that friction is independent of contact area, and almost nobody believes it, because it sounds obviously false. It is true — and the explanation also tells you why engines wear at startup, why a door squeaks, and why graphite stops lubricating in a vacuum.
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