On this day in physics: 16 January 2003 - Space Shuttle Columbia takes off on its would-be final 28th mission, during which the space shuttle broke apart during re-entry. To all who perished in the mission, PWN Physics 365 remembers and solutes you.
Friction- A resistive force in nature which opposes motion. There are several causes for this. Examples of this are dry friction, fluid friction, kinetic friction, static friction, lubricated friction, internal friction, etc. From wikipedia: When surfaces in contact move relative to each other, the friction between the two surfaces converts kinetic energy into thermal energy (that is, it converts work to heat). This property can have dramatic consequences, as illustrated by the use of friction created by rubbing pieces of wood together to start a fire. [Source]
In the case of the Columbia incident, the space shuttle re-enters the atmosphere with such speed, that as particles begin to crash into the space shuttle, they collide with such force that vast amounts of thermal energy are created. The wing was damaged, and the heat was able to make its way into the wings and damage them, causing the space shuttle to disintegrate in the atmosphere.
Friction is a very powerful force which has a great variety of uses. Without friction you wouldn't be able to drive your car. The tires allow the car to move because of friction with the road. If you've ever been on an ice skid, you can appreciate why friction can be useful. The friction between your brake pads and your rotors or brake drums are what causes your car to stop. Friction between your feet, or shoes, or sandals, is also what allows you to walk around. In fact almost all animals rely on friction in one way or another to move around.
In Physics, we categorize how resistive objects are with what is known as a "coefficient of friction". Sandpaper has a much higher coefficient of friction than say, ice. Sandpaper will oppose motion much more and generate a great deal of heat, whereas ice will NOT facilitate motion, but rather oppose motion much less, and generate much less thermal energy in the process.
Killer Resource: A World without Friction. This is an awesome video from MIT which describes what your world might be like without friction, and gives you an appreciation for how much of a role friction plays in your everyday life.
Keywords: Friction, Space, Shuttle, Columbia, Static, Force, Resistive, Motion, Coefficient.
