pushing

Pushing is the act of applying a force to an object through contact with the goal of moving it away from the pusher or in a specified direction. In physics, pushing is one of the main categories of contact force, alongside pulling. A push is characterized by its magnitude (measured in newtons) and its direction, typically along the line of contact between the pusher and the object.

When a push is applied, the object's acceleration is determined by Newton's second law (F = ma), taking into account other forces such as friction and gravity. Friction opposes motion; static friction resists initiating movement, while kinetic friction opposes ongoing motion. To start moving a stationary object, the push must exceed the maximum static friction.

Everyday pushing tasks include opening doors, moving furniture, or pushing a shopping cart. Proper technique reduces risk of injury: use leg muscles, keep the back straight, and avoid twisting; let the force pass through the body's center of mass and maintain a stable stance.

Variants and related concepts include shoving (a stronger, often more abrupt push) and pushing in other domains, such as computing (pushing changes to a remote repository) or mobile devices (push notifications). In medicine, "pushing" also describes the phase of labor when a person bears down to deliver a baby.