Forces and Motion Worksheets - 15 Worksheets Library - Free Printable

Let’s go through each picture one by one and decide if it shows a push or a pull, based on the rules given:

> - If something is moving away from you because of what you’re doing → Push
> - If something is moving closer to you because of what you’re doing → Pull

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Picture 1: Person feeding a horse
The person is holding out food, and the horse is coming toward them. But wait — is the person pulling the horse? No. The person isn’t using their hands to bring the horse closer. Actually, the horse is choosing to come forward. But look at the action: the person is extending their arm *away* to offer food. That’s not really pushing or pulling the horse. Hmm… Let’s think again.

Actually, in this case, the person is likely just standing still while the horse moves toward them. But according to the worksheet’s definition, we need to see if the person is making something move away (push) or closer (pull). Since the person isn’t actively moving the horse, maybe this is tricky.

Wait — let’s re-read the directions: “Describe each of the types of forces displayed below as a push or pull force.” So we have to interpret the action shown.

In Picture 1, the person is reaching out with food — they are not pulling the horse toward them. In fact, if anything, they might be gently guiding or encouraging, but physically, no force is being applied to move the horse. However, looking at common interpretations in such worksheets, when someone offers food and the animal comes, it’s often considered a pull because the person is attracting the animal closer — even if indirectly.

But let’s check the other pictures first for consistency.

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Picture 2: Man mowing lawn
He’s pushing the lawnmower forward — away from his body. Clearly a push.

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Picture 3: Person leading a sheep with a rope
The person is walking ahead, and the sheep is following. The rope is taut — meaning the person is pulling the sheep along behind them. So the sheep is being brought closer to where the person is going — that’s a pull.

Wait — actually, if the person is walking forward and the sheep is behind, the person is pulling the sheep forward — so yes, pull.

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Picture 4: Person plowing with an ox
The person is behind the plow, and the ox is in front pulling the plow. But who is applying the force? The ox is pulling the plow forward. The person is guiding, but the main force is the ox pulling. So the force moving the plow is a pull (by the ox).

But the question says “describe each of the types of forces displayed” — so we look at the overall action. The plow is being pulled forward by the ox. So pull.

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Picture 5: Man carrying a pole on his shoulders
He’s lifting the pole up onto his shoulders. To get it there, he had to lift it — which means he pulled it upward against gravity. Or did he push it up? Actually, when you lift something overhead, you’re using your arms to raise it — that’s typically considered a pull motion with your muscles, but physically, you’re exerting an upward force.

Wait — let’s think simply: Is the object moving away from him or closer? When he lifts the pole, he’s bringing it from ground level up to his shoulders — so it’s moving closer to his upper body? Not exactly. Actually, the key is: is he using his body to make something move away (push) or closer (pull)?

When you lift something, you’re usually pulling it toward your center of mass or raising it — but in terms of direction relative to your body, if you’re lifting something from the ground to your shoulder, you’re moving it upward and possibly slightly toward you — so perhaps pull.

But many educational resources classify lifting as a pull because you’re overcoming gravity by pulling the object up.

Alternatively, some might say it’s neither — but since we must choose, and based on common classroom examples, lifting is often called a pull.

Wait — let’s reconsider all with strict definitions:

From the worksheet:
> “If you use your hands or body to make something move away from you, that’s a push.”
> “If you use your hands or body to bring something closer to you, that’s a pull.”

So for Picture 5: The man is placing the pole on his shoulders. He likely lifted it from the ground — so he brought it from far away (ground) to close to his body (shoulders). So that’s pull.

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Picture 6: Tug of war
Two teams pulling on a rope. Each team is trying to pull the rope toward themselves. So definitely pull.

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Now let’s list them clearly:

1. Feeding horse — The person is offering food; the horse comes closer. The person isn’t physically pulling, but the result is the horse moving closer due to the person’s action. Many worksheets would call this a pull (attracting the horse).
→ Pull

2. Mowing lawn — Pushing mower away → Push

3. Leading sheep with rope — Pulling sheep along → Pull

4. Plowing with ox — Ox is pulling plow → Pull

5. Carrying pole on shoulders — Lifted pole up to shoulders → brought closer → Pull

6. Tug of war — Pulling rope → Pull

Wait — that seems like almost all are pulls except #2. Let me double-check #1.

Alternative interpretation for #1: The person is extending their arm outward to give food — that could be seen as pushing the food away? But the force is on the horse? No, the horse is moving voluntarily.

Actually, upon second thought, in many similar worksheets, "feeding an animal" is not typically classified as push or pull unless there's direct physical contact moving the object. But here, since the horse is moving toward the person because of the person’s action (offering food), and the definition says “if it’s coming closer because of what you’re doing – it’s a pull”, then yes — pull.

Similarly, for #5: lifting the pole — you are bringing it closer to your body (from ground to shoulder) — so pull.

Okay, final decisions:

1. Pull
2. Push
3. Pull
4. Pull
5. Pull
6. Pull

But let’s verify #4 again: The ox is pulling the plow. The person is walking behind, guiding. The force moving the plow is the ox pulling — so the force displayed is a pull.

Yes.

And #6: tug of war — both sides are pulling — so pull.

All seem correct.

Final Answer:
1. Pull
2. Push
3. Pull
4. Pull
5. Pull
6. Pull