Question

Explain why pulling is easier than pushing with a neat sketch on a rough horizontal plane.

Answer 1

Hint: We can easily explain this question, if we know the concept of force of friction and how force of friction affects the motion of a body. Also, we need to know that friction will always act in the opposite direction of the motion of the object.

Complete answer:

First of all let us know about the friction. Friction is the force acting between the object and the surface.
On a level plane the normal force acts due to the weight of the body. We also know that there are components of a vector quantity and force is also a vector quantity. When we pull an object on the horizontal plane, then the vertical component of the force will act vertically downward and will increase the weight of the object leading to an increase in friction. If the friction will be more then it will be difficult to move the object as friction acts in the opposite direction of force.
On the other hand if we pull an object, then the vertical component acts in the upward direction, reducing the force of friction.
So, when there will be less force of friction, it is easier in that case to move the body.

Hence, it is easier to pull than to push a body.

Note: We should also know that the force of friction increases when the normal reaction of the surface on the object increases. Mathematically, we can show this relation as,${F_r} = \mu N$. In case of pulling, the value of normal reaction is smaller and greater in pushing.