Force Push and Pull - Definition, Types, Push & Pull Examples

Edited By Vishal kumar | Updated on Sep 24, 2024 09:59 PM IST

Here, in this article we are going to discuss pull meaning, push meaning, push and pull examples etc.

What is Force?

Force is an external effect in the form of a push or pulls that

(i) Produces or tries to produce motion in a body at which it is at rest position.

(ii) Stops or tries to stop a body that is moving.

(iii) Changes the direction of motion of the moving body.

Since force has both direction and magnitude, it is a vector quantity. The unit of force is represented by Newton (N).

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Force Push and Pull - Definition, Types, Push & Pull Examples

Force: Push and Pull

What is a Push Force?

When we apply an external force and due to that force the body tends to move in forward direction from rest is known as a push.

Examples of push

Some of the examples of push are pushing a box, closing a door/window, pushing a chair/table, pushing a trolley etc.

What is a Pull Force?

When we apply an external force and due to that force the body tends to move in the opposite direction of the force applied from rest is known as pull.

Examples of pull

Some of the examples of pull are opening a door/window, climbing a rope, pulling/dragging a box, etc.

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Types of Force

When we apply external force on a body, then two situations can be there, either the body will move or be at rest. This external force can be applied on the body by either touching the body or without touching the body. Based on these phenomena, we have two types of forces. These are as follows:-

1. Contact force

2. Non-contact force

Contact Force

As the name is contact force, we can define it as the force that is applied on a body by bringing them in contact with each other. It can further be categorized in three categories which are as follows:-

Frictional force:- When we apply an external force on a body, its motion is opposed by another force which acts in the opposite direction. This opposing force is known as frictional force.
Applied force:- When we apply an external force on a body and the body starts moving is known as applied force.
Normal force:- Normal force is the constituent of a contact force. It is perpendicular to the surface of a body that comes in contact with it.

Non-Contact Force

As the name is non-contact force, we can define it as the force that is applied on a body without bringing them in contact with each other. Some of the examples of non-contact forces are as follows:-

1. Gravitational force:- It is the force exerted by the Earth to pull things towards itself. This force is attractive in nature.

2. Magnetic force:- It is the force of attraction and repulsion exerted by a magnet on another magnet or on a magnetic material.

3. Electrostatic force:- It can be defined as the force of attraction or repulsion between two charges of a material.

Apart from the above-mentioned categories, the force can be categorized in different forms also. These can be

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1. Weight: -Weight of a body is the force of gravity or the gravitational force acting on the body.

2. Tension: -When the rope, string, or or cable are stretched with force, the force developed by it is called the tension. The direction of pull of an object gives the direction of tension.

3. Spring force:- When an object is attached to the string, the force developed after the compression of the spring is called spring force.

Spring force is represented by:

F = - Kx

where x is the change in length and K is the spring constant. (unit N/m).

4. Central force:- A central force is the force in which force is pointed along the line that joins the object and the origin.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is push?

When we apply an external force and due to that force the body tends to move in forward direction from rest is known as push.

2. What is a Pull?

When we apply an external force and due to that force the body tends to move in the opposite direction of the force applied from rest is known as pull.

3. Give some push and pull examples.

Some of the examples of push are pushing a box, closing a door/window, pushing a chair / table, pushing a trolley etc.

Some of the examples of pull are opening a door / window, climbing a rope, pulling / dragging a box, etc.

4. Give pull opposite word and push opposite word.

The opposite word of pull is push and opposite word of push is pull.

5. Opening a door is an example of which force?

Opening a door is an example of pull force while closing a door is an example of push force.

6. What is Force?

Force is an external effect in the form of push or pulls.