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This lesson covers contact and non-contact forces, weight, free body diagrams and resultant forces, as required by the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification (1SC0). Forces are fundamental to understanding why objects start moving, stop, or change direction.
A force is a push or pull that can:
Forces are measured in newtons (N) and are vector quantities — they have both magnitude and direction.
Contact forces require physical touching between two objects.
| Force | Description |
|---|---|
| Friction | Opposes motion between surfaces in contact |
| Air resistance | Friction caused by air on a moving object |
| Tension | Pulling force in a stretched string, rope or spring |
| Normal contact force | Perpendicular force from a surface supporting an object |
| Upthrust | Upward force on an object in a fluid |
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