You may remember a
recent blog about Momentum. Who knew
that my Bachelor of Science in mathematics and statistics, with a dalliance in
physics would come in so handy? Let’s
move on to understanding friction.
Not the friction that
occurs between me and my daughter when she wants to play for a fourth hour on
her Nintendo 3DS, and I want her to practice the piano. Although, this blog might be applicable. Let’s come back later and test it out.
No, I mean the
friction between two surfaces, that either stops the objects from movement, or
slows down their movement. It gets a
little more complicated than momentum (I can tell, because I quickly understood
the mathematics around momentum, but am struggling a little with Coulomb’s Law
of Friction). Suffice it to say, there
is a value known as the Co-efficient of Friction, which varies depending on the
two surfaces in contact. For example,
ice on steel has a very low co-efficient of friction, although not as low as
Teflon.
Another time, I’m going to write
about Teflon coated people, but let’s master the basics first.
Rubber on dry concrete
has a high co-efficient of friction, and this is important when you lock your
brakes up. You want the car to come to a
quick stop. Another pair of surfaces
that have a metaphorically high co-efficient of friction are writing and
procrastination.
As I write, with the
momentum I have, there is a force working against me. That’s how friction is experienced. I’m tempted by so much. Should I stop and check how many hits my blog
has had? Are any of my friends saying
anything of interest on Facebook. Recently
I rediscovered my love for table-tennis on the Wii. It’s very realistic, mirroring topspin and
slice. Next thing you know, several
hours are gone as my daughter and I strived to defeat the Champion...without
success.
How did my earlier
conversation go?
‘Daddy, I’ve already
practiced four times this week. I don’t
need to practice anymore.’ Siena’s voice
needs a shriek meter to measure the decibels.
‘How often does your
piano teacher say you should practice?’
‘Twice a week. That’s all.
Why are you so mean to me? Give
me back my things.’ Blackmail is a
constant in our house, as Siena reminds me.
It’s a big concept for a ten year old, but she understands it well.
‘Let’s call your piano
teacher and ask her.’ Parents can be so
wicked. I disturbed our Piano teacher on
her Saturday morning and was rewarded with the knowledge that Siena should
practice twenty minutes every day. But
the best advice was to ask Siena to complete her Piano practice diary every
day. I don’t know if that will work, but
it’s certainly worth trying. It’s
probably a good idea for me to overcome my writing friction.
What are the surfaces
conflicting in your life, and how do you overcome the co-efficient of friction?
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