Life's Lessons

Cynthia learned an important lesson about friction and heat today.

Lindsay has been saving her birthday money since February. She was waiting for the one special thing she was willing to spend her money on and last week she found it- A bright pink Barbie scooter. Nothing fancy. Just one of those foldable scooters with the metal “flap” that goes over the back wheel for a brake. Lindsay has been up and down the driveway 100 times on that thing already!
Well, of course the other kids all wanted to ride too and Lindsay is really good at sharing, so everyone got a turn or two. Cynthia decided that she was too lazy to go in the house and put on shoes before her turn- she only wanted to go down the driveway once and it was a waste of time to get shoes(in her 14 year old mind anyway!). So, down the driveway she goes.
Now, if you have been to my house you know, our driveway is pretty steep. At the bottom is nothing but grass and a fence.
So, Cynthia takes off determined to break the speed record previously set by her younger brother. All is well until she decides it’s time to hit the brakes. She presses her bare foot against the metal which rubs against the turning wheel to slow the scooter. GUESS WHAT?!?!?!?! It got HOT! She had 2 choices. Let off the brake and barrel into the fence or continue to press the brake and see how hot it got. She chose the brake. . . . . . . . . . . . And it got very hot.
I’d say, judging by the size of the blister on her foot, she will not soon forget that friction generates heat (and metal conducts it!).