This key facts covers Contact vs Non-Contact Forces within Forces & Their Effects for GCSE Physics. Revise Forces & Their Effects in Forces for GCSE Physics with 28 exam-style questions and 11 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 2 of 13 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
📚 Contact vs Non-Contact Forces
CONTACT forces — objects must touch:
- Friction — opposes sliding motion between surfaces
- Air resistance (drag) — friction from air molecules
- Tension — pulling force in ropes, cables, strings
- Normal contact force — support force perpendicular to surface
- Upthrust — upward force from fluids (buoyancy)
NON-CONTACT forces — act at a distance:
- Gravitational force (weight) — attraction between masses
- Electrostatic force — between charged objects
- Magnetic force — between magnets or magnetic materials
Practice questions for Forces & Their Effects
What is a force?
Explain what is meant by the resultant force on an object.
Quick recall flashcards
Resultant Force
Opposite directions: SUBTRACT (bigger − smaller)
Resultant Force
Same direction: ADD them