One can imagine that the surface roughness is a composite of many very small scratches.
So high surface roughness decreases the stability on heavy stressed parts.
These can aid bonding between different materials and modify surface roughness of the metal.
The surface roughness can also be calculated over an area.
The film smoothes the surface roughness and the Wenzel model no longer applies.
Diffuse reflection from solids is generally not due to surface roughness.
The wire saw process develops surface roughness on the cut surface.
The presence of waves and surface roughness will change the signature over open water.
At the moment many optical measurement instruments are able to measure the surface roughness over an area.
In system engineering and in industry, particular demands are placed upon surface roughness or heat transfer.