Abstract
A theory of nuclear collisions where a frictional force is introduced explicitly from the beginning is worked out based on a macroscopic and leptodermous idealization. A solution of the problem is made by freezing all degrees of freedom but four: the distance between centres and the two angles measuring the spins of the nuclei. The conditions for capture as a function of energy and angular momentum is discussed in detail. Results on the kinetic energy and angular distributions of collision products are also obtained.