Friction

Friction is when two things rub against each other and make it harder for one or both of them to move. You know how when you try to push a heavy toy car on carpet or the floor, and it doesn't move as easily as it does when you push it on a smooth surface like a table? That's because of friction.

Think of it this way: imagine you are on a slip-and-slide and you try to run on it. You'll slide very quickly because there's not much friction between you and the plastic. But if you try to run on grass or sand, you'll find it's much harder to move quickly. That's because there is more friction between your feet and the ground.

The same thing happens with objects that move against each other. Friction is what makes it harder to move them. But friction can also be helpful! Without friction, we would slip and fall a lot, and it would be hard to grip things. Shoes have a rough bottom to increase friction and prevent slipping, and car tires have a tread that creates friction to help them grip the road.

So, friction can be both a hindrance and a help, depending on the situation. But it's important to understand how it works so we can use it to our advantage!