Forces are at work all around you, all the time! Today we learn what a force is and how to draw it. 💪
👐 ➡️ 📦 🧲 🌍
Step 1: A force is simply a push or a pull.
Forces can make things:
- start moving or stop
- speed up or slow down
- change direction
Step 2: We show a force with an arrow. The way it points shows the direction, and a bigger arrow means a bigger force.
The box will move to the right, because the right push is bigger.
Step 3: Some forces need touching; others work from a distance.
✋ Direct contact force
needs touching — a push, a pull, friction
🧲 Force at a distance
no touching needed — magnetism, gravity
Step 4: When two forces are equal and opposite, they are balanced forces — nothing moves. When one is bigger, they are unbalanced forces — and there is movement!
Your turn! 💪
- Try the tug-of-war and the mini catapults — feel the pushes and pulls.
- Sort actions into pushes and pulls, and forces into contact vs at a distance.
- Complete the Forces All Around worksheet.
Remember: arrows show direction and size — bigger arrow, bigger force.