We welcome all geeky questions, Alicia! That's what this blog is all about! You're totally correct that many other factors can contribute to friction that are not part of this calculation. It may well be that coarser whole grains affect the amount of heat generated. What about recipes that contain a high percentage of soaked whole grains? How are soakers calculated into friction factor calculations? The truth is that determining the friction factor is far from an exact science and there are many, many variables that aren't accounted for in the DDT formula. Despite the limitations of these calculations, they are still a valuable tool when it comes to controlling dough temperature. Realizing that machine kneading generates a significant amount of heat can help us opt for cooler water on a hot summer day, and that can make a huge difference in the way our bread turns out. Barb

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