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Re: Friction

The major reason for wide tires on performance vehicles (primarily
drag racers) is to have a larger area to absorb the heat generated by
the friction so as NOT to melt the tires--at least this has been my
interpretation (don't remember where I got this from). The
coefficient of friction between solid rubber (or what passes for it)
and the roadway is considerably larger than between solid rubber,
liquid rubber, and the roadway which is what you get with high
acceleration (positive or negative) and narrow tires.

Rick Tarara

----------
From: David Dockstader <DRDOCK00@UKCC.UKY.EDU>
3. More misconceptions about friction: It is independent of
surface area:
Not true for tires. Why do you think they put wide tires on
performance cars?
It is independent of speed: Only within limitations, which for some
materials
are pretty restrictive. When we have lubricated bearings we still
talk about
friction, but now it is really viscosity. In my books viscous
forces are
certainly speed sensitive. Mu is a constant: only over a limited
range
of speeds and forces.