Contact/Non-Contact Forces

• Force is a push or pull on an object
• Force is measured in Newtons
• Vector quantities have magnitude and direction.
• Scalar Quantities have only magnitude.
• Contact Forces are where the objects are physically touching.

  
• Non-Contact Forces are forces that dont require touch.

  
• In a Normal contact force the downward force (weight) and upwards are equal and opposite.

  
• Electrostatic forces are between charged forces.
• In non-contact forces the strength of the forces decrease when further away.

  
• Magnitude is another way of saying size
• If the forces on an object are balanced, it is at equilibrium.
• Free body diagrams use arrows to show all of the forces acting on an object.