Contact Forces: Exploring the Interaction Between Objects

What is a contact force?

Which of these is a contact force? A. force of a magnet that attracts paper clips B. earth's attraction of the moon C. force that causes static cling when drying clothes D. force of a bat on a baseball

Answer:

The answer is D

A contact force is a force that occurs due to direct physical contact between objects. Out of the given options, the force of a bat on a baseball is an example of a contact force. When a baseball comes in contact with a bat, the bat exerts a force on the baseball, causing it to move.

A contact force is a force that arises from the direct physical interaction between two objects. In the example you provided, the force exerted by a bat on a baseball is indeed a contact force. This force occurs because the bat makes direct contact with the baseball, resulting in an interaction between the two objects.

Contact forces can take various forms, such as tension, friction, normal force, and applied force. These forces are characterized by the fact that they require physical contact between objects for the force to be exerted.

In the case of a bat hitting a baseball, the contact force applied by the bat causes the baseball to experience a change in motion, illustrating the influence of contact forces in everyday physical interactions.