What term describes a force that one object can apply to another object without touching it?

• A. Contact Force
• B. Noncontact Force
• C. Gravitational Force
• D. Mass

Answer: (B)

A noncontact force is a force that can act on one object from a distance without touching it. This type of force works without direct contact and includes gravity, electric forces, and magnetic forces. For example, gravity pulls objects toward each other even when they aren’t in contact, and magnets can attract or repel without touching.

A force that requires contact, like pushing on a door or the friction between a book and a table, is a contact force. Gravity is a familiar example of a noncontact force, but the question asks for the general term describing forces that act without touching, so the broad category is noncontact force. Mass is not a force at all; it’s a property of matter.