Lubricant

A lubricant (sometimes shortened to lube) is a substance that helps to reduce friction between surfaces in mutual contact, which ultimately reduces the heat generated when the surfaces move. It may also have the function of transmitting forces, transporting foreign particles, or heating or cooling the surfaces. A lubricant's effectiveness against friction is measured as its lubricity and the study of lubrication in material science is known as tribology. In addition to industrial applications, lubricants are used for many other purposes. Other uses include cooking (oils and fats in use in frying pans and baking to prevent food sticking), to reduce rusting and friction in machinery (through the use of motor oil and grease), and bioapplications on humans (e.g., lubricants for artificial joints, ultrasound examination, medical examination, and sexual intercourse). It is mainly used to reduce friction and to contribute to a better, more efficient functioning of a mechanism.