Force and Motion Vocabulary

matter – Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space.

force – A force is a push or pull. Forces make matter move.

direction – The line in which an object moves is its direction. A force can change the direction of an object.

mass – An object’s mass is the amount of matter in the object.

friction – The force of friction is caused by two things rubbing against one another, like wheels rubbing against a road.

gravity – The force that pulls objects together is gravity. Earth’s gravity keeps us on Earth.