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Unit 1: Mechanics Page 27

surfaces are touching? And what’s magnetically “bonded” together
the deal with this stick and slip and then broke apart as you slide
thing anyway? Friction is a concept them across on another. (The
that’s many scientists are spending chemical bonds don’t work quite
a lot of time on. Understanding like the magnetic “bonds” but it

friction is very important in making gives a decent model of what’s
engines and machines run more happening.) There are many
efficiently and safely. mysteries and discoveries to be
uncovered with this concept. Go
You need: out and make some!

2 Business card magnets (those

thin flat magnets that are the size
of business cards)
Fingers

1. Take two business card magnets
and stick them together black side
to black side. They should be
together so that the pictures (or
whatever’s on the magnets) are on
the outside like two pieces of bread
on a sandwich.

2. Now grab the sides of the
magnets and drag one to the right
and the other to the left so that
they still are magnetically stuck
together as they slide over one
another.

Did you notice what happened as
they slid across one another? They
stuck and slipped didn’t they? This
is a bit like friction. As two surfaces

slide across one another, they
chemically bond and then break
apart. Bond and break, bond and
break as they slide. The magnets

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