Ms.Mousseau

Forces Homework

What is a Force?

Have you ever tried to get a large dog like Holly, shown in the picture, to move?
You have to pull very hard on the leash. You can see that Holly
is pulling back with her shoulders. You have to pull harder than
Holly if you want her to move. The pull on the leash is called a force.

Is there another way to get Holly to move? You could push her from behind. A push is also a force. A force is a pull or a push that causes movement. Pulling forces and pushing forces are everywhere.
Kinds of Forces

The Force of Gravity Planets pull objects toward them. Earth pulls you and other objects toward it. This pulling force is called gravity.
Muscular Force The muscles in your body are attached to bones. Muscles pull on these bones. This is called muscular force. It allows you to move in many different ways.
The Force of Buoyancy What happens to the water when you jump into a pool? Some of the water splashes up. Your body pushed down on the water and the water pushed up on you. This made the splash. This upward pushing force is called buoyancy.
The Force of Friction When two objects slide over each other they tub and push against each other. This pushing force is called friction.
Forces that can Pull or Push Gravity is an example of a force that always pulls downward. Bouyancy is an example of a force that always pushes upward. Below are two forces that can sometimes pull and sometimes push.
Magnetic Force Magnets attract some kinds of metals. They pull these metals toward them. This pulling force is called magnetic force or magnetism.