Natural Science CLEP Prep Practice Exam

Friction is not considered a fundamental force because it is a result of the electromagnetic force between two surfaces. Friction is caused by the attraction and repulsion of the surface molecules in contact, which is a product of the electromagnetic force. The other options, weak nuclear, gravity, and electromagnetic, are all considered fundamental forces because they are independent of other forces and affect the behavior of particles at a subatomic level. Weak nuclear force is responsible for radioactive decay, gravity is the force that attracts objects with mass towards each other, and electromagnetic force can be seen in the interactions between charged particles.