The nature of sliding and the analysis of friction

Abstract Although numerous measurements of kinetic friction have been made and some empirical laws have been formulated we have, as yet, no clear understanding of the mechanism of friction.of sliding solids. This paper describes an attempt to investigate in more detail the physical processes that occur during sliding and the nature of the frictional force that opposes the motion. This work was done with unlubricated metallic surfaces. That is to say, no foreign films were artificially added; the surfaces were as clean as they could conveniently be prepared in the laboratory.