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Contact & Noncontact Forces
Contact & Noncontact Forces
There are different types of forces acting on objects all the time. It can be a contact
or a noncontact force.
Contact forces are more commonly seen and observed. For example, you use contact
force in carrying your bag. You apply a contact force when you touch and lift your book
and you must touch your pen to write or hold your spoon to eat. So, it only shows that
contact force arises when an object is in contact with some other object. (w/ pic)
In real life, anything that moves eventually stops. Why? Because there is a force that
opposes motion or the movement. It is called friction. It is a contact force that is
present in objects that are in contact with each other and always acts parallel to the
surface.
For example, friction enables you to control your movement. It prevents you from
slipping when you walk. It helps you hold your badminton racket firmly and it also
enables you to write.
But sometimes, friction is unnecessary. Rubbing of surfaces causes wear and tear. It
can also lead to overheating.
By using rollers or wheels, you reduce the surface in contact to effectively reduce
friction. Lubricants such as oil, wax, grease, and powder allow moving surfaces to slide
smoothly over one another.