Here's why:

* Magnets exert a force on each other without physically touching. You can feel the push or pull of magnets even when they are separated by air, wood, or other materials.

* This force is due to magnetic fields. Magnets create invisible areas of influence called magnetic fields. These fields interact with each other, causing the magnets to attract or repel.

In contrast, a contact force requires direct physical contact between objects. Examples of contact forces include friction, normal force, and the force applied when pushing or pulling an object.