Push and Pull
Elementary School
Definition
Forces that change the motion of objects by moving them away (a push) or toward you (a pull). Pushes and pulls can start or stop motion, change its direction, or change its speed, and they vary in strength and direction.
Worked examples
Pushing a shopping cart makes it speed up and move away from you.
The push is a force that starts motion and changes the cart's speed in the direction you push.
Pulling a wagon toward you changes its direction and brings it closer.
The pull is a force that changes the wagon's direction of motion toward you.
A harder push on a door makes it swing open faster than a gentle push.
Forces vary in strength — a stronger push produces a greater change in motion.
Common mistakes
- A push or pull only works if the object actually moves. → A push or pull is a force even if the object does not move. Forces can act without causing motion if other forces balance them (e.g., pushing a wall).
- Push and pull are the same because both are forces. → Push moves an object away from you; pull moves it toward you — they have opposite directions. Direction matters; pushes and pulls are distinguished by which way they move objects.
Where you'll use it next
You'll apply push and pull when studying friction, gravity, and Newton's laws of motion, and later when analyzing how multiple forces combine to affect objects in physics.
See also
Reviewed by Pat Cheng, M.Ed. — StudyPug Curriculum Lead · Last updated June 6, 2026