This document provides information about bearings:
Bearings allow one machine part to support another and reduce friction between moving parts. The main purpose of bearings is to prevent direct contact between elements in relative motion and reduce friction, heat, and wear.
There are two main types of bearings: sliding surface or 'plain' bearings, and rolling element or 'anti-friction' bearings. Plain bearings use a sliding surface while rolling element bearings use balls, rollers, or needles to reduce friction. The document then describes various designs within each category.