Contact and Non contact Forces

Define what a force is.


A force is a push or pull, that acts on an object, due to its interaction with another object

What is force measured in?


Newtons (N)

Is force a vector or scalar quantity? why?

A force is a vector quantity because it has both magnitude and direction

What are the 2 different types of forces?


contact forces and non-contact forces.

What is a contact force?

When two objects have to be physically touching in order for a force to act

What is a non-contact force?


When two objects do not need to be touching in order for a force to act

What are the 4 main contact forces?


• Friction

• Tension

• Normal contact force

• Air resistance

What are the 3 main non-contact forces?


• Gravitational force

• Magnetic force

• Electrostatic force

Why is air resistance classed as a contact force?


Because air resistance happens due to the physical contact (collisions) between an object and air particles

What are interaction pairs?


Interaction pairs are pairs of forces that are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, they act on two interacting objects

What 2 planets are examples of interaction pairs and are attracted to each other due to gravitational force?


Earth and Moon