Pushes and Pulls

A force is simply a push or a pull. You cannot see a force itself, but you can always see what it does.

A force can:

• start something moving (kicking a soccer ball),
• stop something moving (catching that ball),
• speed it up or slow it down,
• change its direction (heading the ball sideways),
• change its shape (squashing a lump of clay).

Everyday examples: pushing a shopping trolley, pulling a wheelbarrow of sand, and kneading dough all use forces.