Question

Powder is used in carrom board for
A. Increasing friction
B. Decreasing friction
C. Decoration
D. Fragrance

Answer 1

A carom board is mostly rough because the pieces are continuously moving on it and the two surfaces are hence continuously in contact with each other. Powder is a lubricant and lubricants are used to decrease the wear and tear of the surfaces in a contact of the bodies which are continuously in relative motion.

Complete answer:
All the substances are rough, even the smoothest of the surfaces are rough when seen at a microscopic or an atomic level. When two rough surfaces slide against each other the asperities of the surfaces come close to each other and interlock, adhere and generate friction. On a carrom board, there are pieces which are to be hit to each other to score points. These pieces move on a board which is generally a rough surface, hence friction comes into play.

Friction opposes the motion of these pieces and it is not so smooth now. Powder is a solid based lubricant which is often spread on a rough surface. The goal of any lubrication approach is to separate the rubbing surfaces by a lubricant layer, which prevents or minimizes direct contact of the two bodies. Hence, lubricants can be defined as substances used to control, and mostly to reduce friction or wear and tear of the surfaces in a contact of the bodies in relative motion.

Hence powder is used in carrom board for decreasing friction.Thus option B is the correct answer.

Note: Powder is a form of solid lubricant. There are other forms of lubricants which are in the state of gas and liquid. Air is an example of gaseous lubricant while oil is an example of liquid lubricant. All the lubricants have the same function of decreasing the friction between two bodies which are in contact with each other.