Traction of a car wheel is fundamentally the resistance between the tire and the ground in reaction to torque being exerted by the wheel axle under engine power.
Understanding Car Wheel Traction
Based on the provided information, traction can be defined as the essential interaction that allows a car to move forward. It's not something applied like braking, but rather a natural phenomenon that occurs whenever the tire (acting as the adhesive friction body) interacts with the ground surface.
Think of it as the grip or hold the tire has on the road. This grip is created as the engine applies torque (rotational force) to the wheel axle, causing the wheel to want to spin. Traction is the force opposing this spin, generated at the contact patch between the tire and the ground, which propels the car forward.
Key Characteristics of Traction (as per reference)
- It's a Resistance: Specifically, the resistance found between the tire and the ground.
- It's a Reaction: It occurs as a direct reaction to the torque applied by the wheel axle, powered by the engine.
- It's Based on Friction: It is described as being "inevitable whenever the adhesive friction, a tire in this case, moves across the body of a surface."
- It's Natural and Inevitable: Unlike braking, which is an action applied by the driver, traction "naturally happens" and is "inevitable" as the tire rolls across a surface.
This interaction is crucial for accelerating, steering, and braking a vehicle, although the reference specifically highlights its role in response to engine torque (propulsion).
