Push and Pull Forces
Kindergarten · Science · Study Guide
Learn how pushing and pulling move objects around us.
Forces make things move! There are two main kinds of forces: push and pull.
A push moves something away from you. When you push a swing, it goes away from your hands. When you push a door, it opens away from you. Kicking a ball is a push with your foot.
A pull moves something toward you. When you pull open a drawer, it comes toward you. Pulling a rope in a game of tug-of-war is a pull. A magnet can pull certain metal objects toward it.
Forces can make things start moving, stop moving, or change direction. A big force moves things more than a small force. If you push a toy car softly, it goes slowly. If you push it hard, it goes fast!
Forces happen everywhere. Gravity is a force that pulls everything down toward the ground. That is why a ball falls when you drop it.
We use pushes and pulls every day. Opening a door, riding a bike, pushing a shopping cart, and pulling on your shoes all use forces.
Key terms
- force
- A push or pull that can make something move, stop, or change direction
- push
- A force that moves something away from you
- pull
- A force that moves something toward you
- gravity
- A force that pulls everything down toward the ground
- motion
- When something is moving from one place to another
Flashcards
- Push
- A force that moves something away from you
- Pull
- A force that moves something toward you
- Force
- Something that makes objects move, stop, or change direction
- Gravity
- The force that pulls everything down to the ground
- Motion
- Moving from one place to another
- Speed
- How fast or slow something moves
- Direction
- The way something moves, like forward, backward, up, or down
Questions
When you kick a ball, you are using a ______.
- Pull
- Push
- Gravity
- Magnet
Show answer
Answer: Push
Kicking a ball pushes it away from your foot.
A pull moves something toward you.
Show answer
Answer: True
A pull brings things closer to you, like pulling open a drawer.
Which of these is an example of a pull?
- Kicking a ball
- Pushing a door open
- Opening a drawer toward you
- Throwing a frisbee
Show answer
Answer: Opening a drawer toward you
Pulling a drawer toward you is a pull force.
Gravity is a force that pulls things ______ toward the ground.
Show answer
Answer: down
Gravity always pulls objects downward toward the ground.
A bigger force makes things move more than a smaller force.
Show answer
Answer: True
The stronger the force, the more an object moves. A hard push makes something go faster than a soft push.
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