🪐 GCSE Physics Revision Newsletter - Contact and Non-contact Forces

Topic: Contact and Non-contact Forces

Part 1 - Keywords:

  1. Force

  2. Push

  3. Pull

  4. Contact forces

  5. Non-contact forces

  6. Friction

  7. Air resistance

  8. Tension

  9. Normal contact force

  10. Gravitational force

  11. Electrostatic force

  12. Magnetic force

  13. Vector quantity

Part 2 - Key Facts:

  • Forces are either contact forces, where objects are physically touching, or non-contact forces, where objects are physically separated.

  • Examples of contact forces include friction, air resistance, tension, and normal contact force.

  • Examples of non-contact forces are gravitational force, electrostatic force, and magnetic force.

  • Force is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction.

  • Students should describe the interaction between pairs of objects producing forces, representing these forces as vectors.

Part 3 - Quick Quiz:

  1. Which of the following is an example of a non-contact force?

    a) Friction

    b) Tension

    c) Gravitational force

    Answer: c) Gravitational force

  2. What type of force occurs when two objects are physically touching?

    a) Contact force

    b) Non-contact force

    c) Magnetic force

    Answer: a) Contact force

  3. Is force a scalar or vector quantity?

    a) Scalar

    b) Vector

    c) Both

    Answer: b) Vector

Part 4 - Going Further: Describe the interaction between two magnets, one repelling and one attracting, and how these interactions demonstrate contact and non-contact forces. Explain how these forces are represented as vectors and their significance in determining the motion of objects.

Part 5 - Revision Tips: When studying forces, practice drawing force diagrams to represent the magnitude and direction of each force acting on an object. This will help clarify the resultant force and its effect on the object's motion.

Part 6 - More Help: