5.1.2 - Contact & Non-Contact Forces

What is a force?

A push or pull acting on an object due to an interaction with another object.

What are the two categories that all forces can be split into?

1. Contact forces (objects touching).

2. Non-contact forces (objects separated).

Give three examples of contact forces.

• Friction

• Air resistance

• Tension

• Normal-contact

Give three examples of non-contact forces.

• Gravitational forces

• Electrostatic forces

• Magnetic forces

Is force a vector or a scalar quantity?

• Vector

• It has both a magnitude and an associated direction.