Which of the following statements about force is false?

The statement that no force is required to stop a body is false because stopping a moving object requires a net force to be applied in the opposite direction of the object's motion. According to Newton's first law of motion, an object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by a net external force. Therefore, when you want to stop an object, you must exert a force that counteracts its motion.

In contrast, the other statements accurately describe force: it can be a push or a pull exerted on a body, and it can cause a body to accelerate, meaning it may make a body move. Forces are essential in changing the state of motion of an object, which includes starting, stopping, or changing direction.