What type of bearing design is commonly used to reduce friction between rotating parts?

The chosen answer, which refers to anti-friction bearings, is particularly accurate because these bearings are specifically engineered to minimize friction between rotating components. Anti-friction bearings achieve this by using rolling elements—such as balls or rollers—between the inner and outer rings. This rolling motion significantly reduces the surface area in contact with the bearings, thereby decreasing the heat generated from friction and increasing the overall efficiency of the machinery.

In contrast, other types of bearings, such as friction bearings, and sliding or plain bearings, operate on different principles that inherently involve higher friction levels. Friction bearings typically rely on static contact surfaces, which can lead to increased wear and heat generation. Sliding bearings, on the other hand, may allow surfaces to slide against each other instead of rolling, which again results in higher friction compared to anti-friction bearings. These characteristics make anti-friction bearings the preferred choice in applications where reducing friction is crucial to performance and longevity.