It also prevents food from being forced through the contact area.
If the current gets too high, "hot spots" can develop and cause burning of the contact areas.
Obviously the absorption rate must depend on contact area and water temperature.
Thus, the contact area between tire and track can be a couple of square feet.
Cold plugs are designed with more contact area, so they run cooler.
A kick transfers a lot of energy through a tiny contact area.
The contact area is flooded with the lubricant being tested.
Since the actual contact area is reduced, another resistance for heat flow exists.
As such, they are often able to spread considerable distances to maintain a large contact area with the soil.
This process is in different stages for different parts of the contact area.