Non-contact forces are defined as forces that:

Non-contact forces are defined as forces that do not require physical contact between the objects involved. This means that even when two objects are separated by distance, they can still exert a force upon each other. Examples of non-contact forces include gravitational force, magnetic force, and electrostatic force.

The concept hinges on the idea that forces such as gravity can act over a distance, allowing objects to attract or repel each other without needing to be in physical contact. For instance, the Earth can pull an object towards it, despite the object being in the air and not touching the ground.

Understanding non-contact forces is essential because they demonstrate how interactions can occur even when objects are separated, which is fundamental in fields such as physics, engineering, and various applications in technology.