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What Is a Push or Pull

Learning that a force is simply a push or a pull, and spotting both in everyday life.

  • Define and explain What Is a Push or Pull in your own words
  • Use key terms such as force accurately
  • Apply what you have learned to new examples and questions
  • Avoid the common mistakes learners make with this topic

Every movement you make begins with a push or a pull. From kicking a football to opening a door, forces are at work all around you. This chapter helps you spot them, name them and see what they do.

This lesson focuses on What Is a Push or Pull: learning that a force is simply a push or a pull, and spotting both in everyday life.

Definition: What Is a Push or Pull

Learning that a force is simply a push or a pull, and spotting both in everyday life.

Key ideas

Forces change how things move

A stationary object stays still until a push or a pull acts on it. A moving object keeps going in a straight line until a force changes its speed or direction. The bigger the push, the bigger the change — a gentle tap nudges a ball, while a hard kick sends it flying.

Friction opposes motion

When a toy car rolls across carpet it slows down much faster than on a smooth floor, because the carpet creates more friction. Friction always pushes back against the direction of movement. Without friction, walking on ice would be impossible — your shoes would just slide.

Key term — force: A push or a pull. Forces can make things move, stop moving, change direction or change shape.

Worked example: What Is a Push or Pull

Kicking a football is an example of a push or a pull?

A push — your foot shoves the ball away from you.

Answer: A push — your foot shoves the ball away from you.

Common mistakes
  • Saying gravity pushes things down Gravity pulls things towards the Earth — the Earth attracts the object, so 'pull' is the correct word.
  • Believing a push has to touch something Magnets can pull metal objects without touching them, and gravity pulls without touching too.

Practice

Name the force that pulls a dropped apple to the ground.
It comes from the Earth.

Gravity.

A marble rolls across a smooth table and falls off the edge. Which force makes it fall?
It acts downwards everywhere on Earth.

Gravity pulls the marble downwards once it is no longer supported by the table.

Does a bigger push make a toy car travel further?
Think about what you feel when you push harder.

Yes — a bigger push gives the car more speed, so it travels further before friction stops it.

Give one example of a pull you do every day.
Think about opening something.

Answers vary: opening a door or drawer, pulling on socks, tugging a zip. A pull moves something towards you.

Quick check

What Is a Push or Pull — quick check

Which of these best defines "force"?

A push or a pull. Forces can make things move, stop moving, change direction or change shape.

Why does a sledge slow down on flat snow?

Friction between the sledge and the snow opposes its motion and slows it down.
Key takeaways
  • What Is a Push or Pull: learning that a force is simply a push or a pull, and spotting both in everyday life.
  • Forces change how things move: A stationary object stays still until a push or a pull acts on it.
  • friction: The force that slows things down when two surfaces rub against each other, like shoes gripping the ground.
  • Watch out for: saying gravity pushes things down
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