Which type of friction is generally less than both static and kinetic friction?

Rolling friction is the correct answer because it typically involves a situation where an object rolls over a surface rather than sliding or moving along it. This type of friction occurs when an object, like a wheel or a ball, rolls over a surface, and is generally much lower than both static friction (which acts on objects that are not moving relative to each other) and kinetic friction (which acts on objects that are sliding past one another).

The reason rolling friction is less than static friction is due to the fact that rolling eliminates some of the resistance encountered when sliding, as the contact area is minimized and the motion involves rotational inertia rather than a full sliding action. Similarly, rolling friction is less than kinetic friction because the deforming motion of rolling does not overcome surface interactions to the same degree that sliding does, leading to less energy loss in the form of heat.

This characteristic makes rolling friction particularly advantageous in applications like wheels, bearings, and other systems where reduced resistance is crucial for efficiency and performance.