We have already read that the force is that push or pull which produces or tends to produce a change in state

of rest or of uniform motion of a body or change the direction of motion or shape of a body. Force is of two types: (i) CONTACT FORCE. It is a force acting on the body due to physical contact with the other body. Friction, mechanical, elastic, muscular forces are all contact forces. For their presence to be felt, there has to be a contact between two bodies. A motor car moves due to contact force, the arrow moves out of bow due to contact force. Similarly force of friction is due to contact between two surfaces. (ii) NON-CONTACT FORCE OR FORCE AT A DISTANCE . Gravitational, electrical and magnetic force act even when the two bodies are not touchmg each other and are lying at a distance even jf they are separated by vacuum. A ball dropped falls down due to non-contact gravitational forces. A rubbed rubber comb when brought near small pieces of paper, attract these pieces towards it. Magnet attracts iron even at a distance and even through vacuum. Similarly charged glass rod attracts paper bits from a distance. All . these forces act with a physical contact and hence called non-contact forces.

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Fig. 3. Non-contact forces. (a) Gravitational force of earth attracts the ball; (b) Magnetic force attracts compass; (c) Charged glass rod attracts paper bits-All the forces act at a distance.
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1. A force is required to change the direction of motion. To move a body in circular path i.e., to continuously change the direction of motion, a continuous force perpendicular to direction of motion called centripetal force [Fig. 10]. 2. Centripetal force required to move in circular path around the nucleus is provided by the force of attraction between nucleus :md electron. 3. Centripetal force required by the moon to move around the earth (to change direction at every moment) is provided by gravitational force of attraction between the moon and the earth. 4. A cricket ball when hit by force of bat changes the direction of motion.

Fig. 2. Friction is a contact force.

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Gravity is a non~contact force.

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Fig. 10. Change the direction of motion.