School › Forces and motion › Ages 6–7
Pushes and pulls
A force is a push or a pull. Find out how pushes and pulls make things start, stop and change direction, then race a toy car with a big and a small push.
Read
A force is a push or a pull. When you kick a ball, you push it. When you open a drawer, you pull it.[6][1]
A force always comes from something else: your hand, your foot, the wind, or a magnet. A magnet can pull a paper clip towards it![6]
A ball lying on the grass stays still. It will not start to move by itself. Something has to push it or pull it.[2][4]
Forces can make things start to move, go faster, go slower or stop.[1][5]
A push from the side can make a moving ball change direction. Without a push or a pull, it would keep going in a straight line.[4][2]
When you hold a ball, the Earth pulls it down and your hand pushes it up. Let go, and down it falls![4]
Try it: Big push, small push
You need
- A toy car
- A smooth floor or long table
- Masking tape
- A ruler or a piece of string to measure
Safety
Push the car along the floor, never throw it. Keep the track clear so nobody trips. Stick tape only where the teacher says.
What to do
- Put a piece of tape on the floor as the start line.
- Give the car a small, gentle push from the start line. Put a piece of tape where it stops.
- Now give the car a bigger push. Mark where it stops with another piece of tape.
- Which push made the car go further?
- Try a push from the side while the car is moving. What happens to its direction?
Play: Push or pull?
Is it a push or a pull? Tap the right group.
Your best score is kept only on this device. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Quiz
Other ages: Ages 10–11 · Ages 15–16