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Differentiate Between Contact and Non-contact Forces

Differentiate Between Contact and Non-contact Forces

Force refers to the push and pull which is applied to any object when it meets the other object and this interaction leads to a change of state, which can be either of rest or uniform motion. It is of 2 types:

  • Contact forces
  • Non-contact forces

The difference between contact and non-contact forces are:

CONTACT FORCES

NON CONTACT FORCES

Contact force refers to the process in which physical contact is required to move the object. It can be continuous and helps to change the position of the object. 

Non-contact force refers to the process in which the object is made to change its position but without any physical contact made by anybody to the object. 

It occurs because of the contact which takes place between 2 different types of objects. 

It does not involve any type of contact between the 2 objects. It occurs because of attraction or repulsion which is done between the 2 objects.

In contact forces, the field is not linked.  

In non-contact forces, the field is always linked.

Examples of contact forces are:

  • When we ride a bicycle
  • An airplane that is flying through the air. 
  • When we pass a football to a receiver. 
  • When we pitch the baseball to the batsman. 
  • When a skydiver jumps to the ground and opens his parachute while being in the air. 

Examples of non-contact forces are:

  • An apple after ripening falls from the tree. This is one of the best examples of non-contact forces.
  • Electromagnetism is also referred to as an example of non-contact forces.
  • During rain, the raindrops when falling to the ground is also termed as a non-contact force.
  • When the leaves fall from the tree.