Deconstructing "grippiness", or lack thereof
It's all about the Coefficient of Static Friction.
FS = μS FN,
FS ∝ FN
But hey, let's be honest, how many of us can make sense of that?
Take a look at "Grippiness" - maybe this will help.
Red was most grippy, and blue was least grippy.
Blue was most slippery, red was least slippery.
Simple enough to see, right? Now let's think why.
The blue disc is most slippery because there is lubricant.
The blue disc is most slippery because the slide it was on is the smoothest.
The blue disc is most slippery because it is the heaviest.
All this points to one conclusion - that the blue disc experienced the least resistance, i.e the least friction.
Here's another example.
Dude is experiencing least friction. There is no force opposing his shoes. That's why he's slipping and sliding. In his case it is an ultra smooth surface (ice) PLUS lubricant (thin film of water) that minimized friction.
So why the heck are we talking about slipping, when we're all about grip?
Three words.
Know thy enemy.
Want a good solution for gripping? Then first understand what causes slipping.
*Not enough friction on contact surface
*Presence of lubricants
*Too much force required to maintain grip
Yes, I know. This is simplistic, to say the least. It does not address concepts like rotational force, torque, and all that jazz. But I hope you still did get a grasp (pun intended) of how slippage happens.
What material, then, is best at minimizing slippage?