Force Families
Muscular, magnetic, gravitational, frictional
What this lesson covers
Why it matters
You lift a bag (muscle). A magnet grabs a pin without touching it. The Earth pulls every dropped thing down. And the floor secretly grips your shoes at every step. Four families of force, all around you.
Predict first
Which force works WITHOUT touching?
Magnetic and gravitational forces reach across empty space. Muscular force and friction need contact — two families, near and far.
- a magnet attracting a pin — correct
- kicking a football
- pulling a rope
What you do
Six everyday pushes and pulls — name the family each one belongs to.
Check yourself
A mango falling from the tree is pulled down by…
The Earth pulls EVERYTHING — mangoes, rain, you. That pull is gravity.
Lifting your school bag uses…
Muscles pushing and pulling — the force family you own.
A magnet attracts…
Magnetism is choosy: iron (and a few friends), never paper, plastic or wood.
- gravitational force — correct
- muscular force
- magnetic force
- muscular force — correct
- magnetic force
- no force
- iron things — like pins and nails — correct
- everything
- only plastic