Forces are interactions that can change the motion of an object by causing it to accelerate or change velocity. A force has both magnitude and direction, making it a vector quantity. According to Newton's second law, the net force acting on an object is equal to its rate of change in momentum, implying that acceleration is directly proportional to net force and inversely proportional to mass. Related concepts include thrust, drag, and torque, which can impact the velocity or rotational speed of an object.