There’s a Fraction to Much Friction

I found the kids outside playing with off cuts of wood. Most of their play involved rolling and sliding things down planks of wood so I thought it a good opportunity to talk to them about the science behind their play. The discussion really held their interest. We talked about the effect that friction has on motion and about how the shape and design of an object can effect its speed. I got them to imagine that they were sliding down the plank and asked if they thought they would go faster if they leant forward or back, if they put their feet on the plank or kept them up as they slid. Eli thought this was great and ran outside to experiment. Within seconds he was calling out for help. When I got to him the problem was clear. So the conclusion of our science experiment is: You travel slower down the plank if you lean back because of the friction caused by your clothing….hmmm maybe our experiments need a bit more prep.