It is a common saying that water is a terrible lubricant. But, if you apply water to certain materials like glass, ice, soap, or tile, that surface becomes slippery when wet.
So what is the difference between a true lubricant, and something like water, which makes things slippery?
In: Chemistry
Lubricant reduces the friction between two surfaces particularly jn “tight” contact—makes surfaces slide against each other easier under higher pressure. Think flush metal against metal. I would say it’s not incorrect to say lubricated surfaces are also “slippery” although in connotation slippery might refer to “slides with very little force” and lubricated might mean “slides but needs a little force”.
Water is slippery for surfaces that are not in tight contact. Think your feet on a slip-n-slide or your car on ice. As it, is these surfaces didn’t need a lot of force to slide against each other even without the water because they were free and loose against each other. Of course lubricant would also make your feet or your car slide very easily so you can say it is slippery.
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