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An introduction to the basic concept of pushes and pulls that make things move.
Have you ever wondered why a soccer ball starts moving the moment you kick it, or why a door opens when you grab the handle? It's not magic—it's a secret power called a force!
In the world of science, a force is simply a push or a pull. We use forces every single day! When you push something, you are using a force to move it away from you. When you pull something, you are using a force to move it closer to you. Forces are the reason anything moves at all. Without forces, the whole world would be perfectly still, like a paused movie! Most forces require you to touch an object, like when you hand touches a swing to give it a shove.
Think about how you enter a room: 1. You reach for the handle. 2. You move your arm toward your body to pull the door open. 3. To close it, you move your arm away from your body to push it shut.
Quick Check
If you are playing tug-of-war and grabbing the rope to bring it toward your team, are you pushing or pulling?
Answer
You are pulling.
Forces are the 'stars' of every sport. In soccer, you use a push force when your foot hits the ball to send it flying. In baseball, the bat provides a massive push to the ball. Even when you pick up a basketball to take a shot, you are using a pull force to lift it up against the ground. The amount of force matters too! A big force () makes an object move much faster than a tiny force ().
Let's look at the forces in a soccer game: 1. The ball is sitting still (). 2. You swing your leg and push the ball with your shoe. 3. The force makes the ball change from still to moving fast!
Quick Check
When you throw a bowling ball down the lane, are you using a push or a pull?
Answer
A push.
Forces don't just start movement; they can also change it! A force can make a moving object go faster, make it slow down, or make it stop. Forces can also change an object's direction. Imagine a ball rolling toward you. If you kick it to the left, you have used a force to change where it is going. The harder you push, the more the speed changes. We can think of it like this: more force equals more change!
Watch how forces change a tennis ball: 1. The ball flies toward a player (Direction: Left). 2. The player hits the ball with a racket (Push force). 3. The ball stops for a split second and then flies the other way (Direction: Right). 4. The player hit it hard, so the ball's speed increased!
What is the scientific definition of a force?
Which of these is an example of a PULL force?
A force can change the direction an object is moving.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow morning, try to identify one 'push' and one 'pull' you use while getting ready for school.
Practice Activity
Go outside with a ball. Try to move it using only tiny forces, then try using large forces. Notice how the speed changes!