Drilling Industry Glossary

Friction

Resistance to movement created when two surfaces are in contact. The friction factor, sometimes called friction coefficient, is a dimensionless scalar value that describes the ratio of the force of friction between two bodies and the force pressing them together. The coefficient of friction depends on the materials used; for example, ice on steel has a low coefficient of friction, while rubber on pavement has a high coefficient of friction. Coefficients of friction range from near zero to greater than one - under good conditions, a tire on concrete may have a coefficient of friction of 1.7.