Image of rays colliding

Be a Tribologist

Presented by: Argonne National Laboratory

Join Argonne National Laboratory in this exploration about all things friction, where you can follow in DaVinci's footsteps and try your hand at Tribology! Never heard of tribology?! Check out the video and follow along with the hands-on activity you can do yourself to find out more.

Materials List

These are the materials you will need to follow along with this activity.

  • A flat, heavy object (book, wooden block, toy, bar of soap, etc)
  • Minimum 12-inch-long string (shoestring, ribbon, yarn, etc.)
  • Ruler or measuring tape
  • Surface with a ledge (table, counter, etc.)
  • 1-2 various surfaces (wood, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, wax paper, etc)
  • 1-2 items to use as weights (pennies, quarters, batteries, paper clips, etc)
  • Ziploc or plastic bag (to hold the weights)
  • Pen/marker
  • Paper
  • Tape (optional)

Safety Considerations

There are no safety considerations for this activity.

About Argonne National Laboratory STEM Outreach

Argonne National Laboratory

To inspire students to consider pursuing a career in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) field, Argonne Educational Programs supports and encourages STEM Outreach. Through facilitating competitions, sending scientists to physically or virtually visit classrooms, and showcasing Argonne research at local STEM fairs and expos for students and families, Argonne Educational Programs commits itself to broadening the impact of STEM awareness in our community.