Question

Powder is used in carrom board for:
A. increasing friction
B. decreasing friction
C. decoration
D. none of the above

Answer 1

Hint: We know that friction is the resistive force, which opposes the motion of an object. It is a surface phenomenon and is observed only when the object trying to move is in contact with some other surface. Which is to say that friction is a contact force.

Complete step-by-step solution
We know that while playing carrom, the coins on the board are moved due to some force. Clearly, the coin experiences some friction with respect to the board, as the board surface is rough in nature. We also know that the nature of friction is to resist the movement of the coins, which increases if the surface is rough. But we don’t want this to happen. So we used powder, which is very fine to smoothen the board surface. This in turn helps in the easy movement of the coins in the board by decreasing the friction between the board and the surface.
Thus, option B. decreasing friction is the correct answer.

Note: Friction is a small quantity that acts in the opposite direction to the force. Static friction is the force responsible for an object to be at rest, whereas kinetic friction is the force that resists the motion of a moving body. Also, normal friction is observed in both cases. The limiting friction and the rolling friction are a special type of static friction and kinetic friction respectively. Limiting friction is the friction observed when the body experiences an external force greater than the friction such that the body begins to move. And is known as the maximum value of static friction.