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What is the difference between contact and non-contact force?

Force is a fundamental concept in physics that explains the rate of change of an object’s velocity based on its mass and acceleration. In the category of forces, there are two distinct types of forces, namely contact and non-contact forces. These forces differ based on the way in which they interact with objects and cause changes in their motion.

Contact forces refer to forces that act upon an object as a result of two objects physically touching each other. Such forces require physical contact between the objects, and they do not exist when the objects are not touching. Examples of contact forces include friction, air resistance, tension, and normal force.

Friction refers to the force resisting the motion of an object as it slides or rolls over a surface. Air resistance is the force opposing the motion of an object through the air. Tension is experienced by an object that is being pulled or stretched. The normal force is the force that arises when an object is resting on a surface and is equal to the gravitational force acting on the object.

On the other hand, non-contact forces are forces that act on objects at a distance, without physical contact between the objects. These forces act through fields that propagate through space and do not require a physical medium to travel. Examples of non-contact forces include gravitational force, magnetic force, and electrostatic force.

Gravitational force is a force of attraction between any two objects in the universe, and it decreases with distance between the objects. Magnetic force is the force exerted by a magnet on another magnet or magnetic material. Electrostatic force is the force created by charged objects or particles, either attracting or repelling each other due to their electric charges.

The primary difference between contact and non-contact forces is that contact forces require direct physical contact between two objects, while non-contact forces act at a distance, without any contact between the objects. Both types of forces play critical roles in our daily lives, and understanding their differences is essential in physics and engineering.

What are non-contact forces 10 examples?

Non-contact forces refer to those forces that can act on an object without physically touching it. These forces can be exerted over a certain distance and can be classified into several types based on their cause and nature. Non-contact forces play a fundamental role in various natural phenomena and have enormous practical applications in different fields.

Here are ten common examples of non-contact forces:

1. Gravitational Force: The gravitational force is the attractive force that exists between two masses. This force is responsible for holding the planets in orbit around the sun, keeping the moon in orbit around the earth, and keeping objects on the ground.

2. Electric Force: The electric force is the force between charged particles. This force can either attract or repel charged particles, and it is responsible for many of the electrical phenomena that we encounter in our daily lives.

3. Magnetic Force: The magnetic force is the force between two magnets or between a magnet and a magnetic material. This force is responsible for many of the everyday uses of magnets, including generating electricity in power plants and levitating trains.

4. Nuclear Force: The nuclear force holds the nucleus of an atom together. This force is incredibly strong and overcomes the electric force that would otherwise push the positively charged protons in the nucleus apart.

5. Gravitational Waves: Gravitational waves are ripples in space-time caused by the acceleration of massive objects. These waves can be detected using specialized equipment and are providing new insights into the structure of the universe.

6. Light Pressure: The pressure of light is a non-contact force that is exerted on objects by photons. This force is responsible for the tails of comets and the pressure that causes solar sails to move.

7. Tension Force: Tension force is the force transmitted through a string, rope, or wire when it is pulled or stretched. This force is the reason why suspension bridges or cranes can hold heavy loads without breaking.

8. Coulomb Force: Coulomb force or electrostatic force is the force between two charges. This force is involved in many everyday phenomena, such as static electricity, lightning strikes, and the attraction of balloons to human hair.

9. Van der Waals Force: Van der Waals force is a weak attraction that holds atoms and molecules together. This force is involved in many chemical and physical processes, such as the interaction between molecules in liquids and gases.

10. Friction Force: Frictional force is the force that opposes motion between two surfaces in contact. This force is involved in many daily activities, from walking and driving to using pencils and furniture.

How many types of contact force are there?

There are several types of contact force that exist in the physical world. Essentially, a contact force is a force that arises due to the physical interaction between two objects that come into contact with one another. There are four main types of contact forces:

1. Friction force: Friction force occurs when two surfaces come into contact with each other and resist the motion between them. This force is useful in many applications, such as stopping a car or keeping objects from sliding off of a slope.

2. Tension force: Tension force arises in a stretched or compressed material, and it acts in opposition to the deformation of the material. For example, the force experienced by a rope that is being pulled tightly in opposite directions is a tension force.

3. Normal force: Normal force is the force that arises when two surfaces are in contact, perpendicular to each other. This force is felt when a person sits on a chair or when a book is placed on a table.

4. Air resistance force: Air resistance force comes into play when an object moves through the air. It slows down the motion of the object and is felt as a force in the opposite direction of the object’s motion.

These are the primary types of contact forces that exist in the physical world. However, there may be other forces that arise due to the interaction between objects, depending on the specific situation. The study of these forces is an important part of physics, as it helps us to understand the way that objects interact with each other in the world around us.

Is contact force a field force?

No, contact force is not a field force. Contact force is a type of force that is exerted by one object on another object only when they come into direct physical contact. It is a force that is transmitted through direct touch or a mechanical interaction between two objects. Examples of contact forces include friction, tension, normal force, and compression.

On the other hand, field forces are forces that are exerted without any direct physical contact between the objects. These forces exist within the space around the objects and can act at a distance. Field forces are often associated with physical fields, such as electric fields, magnetic fields, and gravitational fields.

Examples of field forces include the gravitational force between masses, the electric force between charged particles, and the magnetic force between magnets or electric currents. Unlike contact forces, field forces can act at a distance and can affect the motion and behavior of objects that are not in direct contact with each other.

Therefore, it is important to understand the difference between contact forces and field forces as they are both fundamental concepts in physics. While contact forces require direct physical contact, field forces can act at a distance and can have significant effects on objects and their motion.

What is field force give example?

Field force refers to a group of employees or individuals who are responsible for carrying out tasks and activities outside the organization premises. These tasks can include activities such as selling, marketing, advertising, customer service, maintenance, and repair.

An excellent example of field force would be a pharmaceutical company. In this sector, a field force is composed of medical representatives who are responsible for selling and promoting pharmaceutical products. They interact with healthcare professionals, such as doctors and pharmacists, and provide them with information about the company’s products, benefits, and usage guidelines.

Medical representatives not only promote the products but also gather valuable feedback from customers, which is used to improve the overall quality of the products.

Another example of field force can be seen in the retail industry. In this industry, a field force might include merchandisers who are responsible for ensuring that products are displayed appropriately in a store. They work with store managers to arrange the products attractively, ensuring they are stocked correctly and the shelves are clean.

Field force is a critical component of many industries. They are tasked with various responsibilities and activities that take place outside the organization and serve as the critical link between the company and its customers, leading to successful outcomes.

How are fields and forces related?

Fields and forces are closely related as fields can describe the distribution of forces within a given space. In physics, we define a force as any external influence that can cause a change in the motion of an object. A force can push, pull, or twist an object in different directions, and its magnitude depends on the mass and acceleration of the object upon which it acts.

On the other hand, a field is a physical quantity that can describe the distribution of a particular property, such as electric charge, magnetic moment, or gravitational mass, within a given space. Fields can be scalar or vector, depending on whether they have magnitude only or both direction and magnitude.

Fields can exert forces on objects that contain or interact with matter. For instance, gravitational fields can act on objects with mass, electric fields can act on objects with electric charge, and magnetic fields can act on objects with magnetic moment.

Moreover, fields can be used to describe the nature of the interaction between two objects. For example, the gravitational field of earth can explain why objects fall towards the ground while the electric field can explain the attraction or repulsion between charged objects.

Fields and forces are interrelated. The fields reflect the distribution of forces within a given space, and their interactions with objects can be explained by the forces they exert. Understanding how fields and forces relate helps us to gain a better understanding of the behavior of objects in different scenarios and environments.

Resources

  1. Differentiate between contact and non contact force? – Byju’s
  2. contact and non-contact forces – Dynamic Science
  3. Differentiate between contact and non-contact force … – Vedantu
  4. Differentiate between Contact and Non-Contact Forces
  5. Contact and Non Contact Forces – GeeksforGeeks