Final answer:
The normal force is a perpendicular contact force exerted by a surface to support an object's weight and acts in the opposite direction to gravitational force.
Step-by-step explanation:
The normal force is a supportive force that acts perpendicular to the surface an object is resting on. It is a contact force because it arises from physical contact between the object and the surface.
Unlike gravitational force, which pulls objects towards the center of the Earth, the normal force acts in the opposite direction, supporting the object against gravity.
When an object is resting on a horizontal surface without accelerating, the normal force is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the object's weight, which can be represented by the equation N = -mg, where N is the normal force, m is the mass of the object, and g is the acceleration due to gravity.