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Contact forces are forces that act between two objects that are physically touching each other. Examples of contact forces include:
An object at rest on a surface experiences reaction force. For example, a book on a table.
An object that is being stretched experiences a tension force. For example, a cable holding a ceiling lamp.
Two objects sliding past each other experience friction forces. For example, a box sliding down a slope.
An object moving through the air experiences air resistance. For example, a skydiver falling through the air.
When a contact force acts between two objects, both objects experience the same size force, but in opposite directions. This is Newton's Third Law of Motion.
Source: BBC Bitesize, Contact and Non contact forces, URL: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zyxv97h/revision/1
Non-contact forces are forces that act between two objects that are not physically touching each other. Examples of non-contact forces include:
A magnetic force is experienced by any magnetic material in a magnetic field.
Opposite magnetic poles (N - S or S - N) attract each other:
Like magnetic poles (N - N or S - S) repel each other:
An electrostatic force is experienced by any charged particle in an electric field.
Opposite charges (+ and -) attract:
Like charges (- and -, or + and +) repel:
A gravitational force is experienced by any mass in a gravitational field.
Masses are attracted towards each other by gravitational force:
Source: BBC Bitesize, Contact and non-contact forces, URL: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zyxv97h/revision/2
Forces
Students, along with Isaac and his cat Newton, will learn what a force is and the difference between a contact and non-contact force. The different types of forces including push, pull, friction, magnetism, and gravity are also explored.
Source: ClickView, 2020, Rated E, Duration 4:50, URL: https://online.clickview.com.au/libraries/videos/36554689/forces