What is a lubricant?
Q: What is a lubricant?
A: A lubricant is a substance used to reduce friction between moving surfaces. It has the property of reducing friction, known as lubricity (slipperiness).
Q: What are some characteristics of a good lubricant?
A: A good lubricant should not be affected by temperature or pressure, should not burn easily and may also prevent rusting, and have high viscosity (feels like a very thick liquid) that does not mix with water.
Q: What is the most common type of lubricant?
A: The most often used lubricant is motor oil, which is used in engines of cars and motorcycles. Sometimes chemicals are added to normal oil to give it special properties.
Q: How can a lubricant help with cooling?
A: A lubricant, like motor oil, can help in reducing heat by increasing surface area in contact with the object being cooled. This way, oil comes in contact with small surface area of the small object and transfers that heat to the big surface area of the big vessel. As liquids transfer heat better than gases, they are often used for this purpose in manufacturing processes.
Q: What types of solid, semi-solid and liquid substances can be used as lubricants?
A: Solid substances such as graphite (used in lead pencils) can be used as solid lubricants; grease can be used as semi-solid; while oils of various grades and types are commonly used for liquid forms of lubircants.
Q: Can using oils cause pollution?
A: Yes - if released into open areas without proper disposal methods, oils can cause water pollution.
