What are non-gravitational forces?

Non-gravitational forces are pushes or pulls that make things move or stop moving, just like when you push a toy car or pull a wagon.

Imagine you're playing with your favorite blocks. When you lift one block up, gravity is trying to bring it back down, but if you also give it a little nudge, that's a non-gravitational force at work! It helps the block move faster or in a different direction.

Think of a trampoline. When you jump, gravity pulls you down toward the ground, but when you hit the trampoline, it pushes you back up. That push is a non-gravitational force, just like when you kick a ball and it flies away from your foot.

These forces can be strong or weak, fast or slow, depending on what’s pushing or pulling. Sometimes they’re invisible, like the wind that helps your kite fly, but you can still feel them working!