You're absolutely right! An object accelerates only when a push or pull acts on it. This is a fundamental concept in physics known as Newton's Laws of Motion. Here's a breakdown:

* Newton's First Law (Law of Inertia): An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion at a constant velocity (speed and direction), unless acted upon by a net force.

* Newton's Second Law: The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. This means:

* More force = more acceleration

* More mass = less acceleration

* Newton's Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means forces always come in pairs.

In simpler terms:

* Push and Pull = Force

* Force = Acceleration

Examples:

* Pushing a box: The force you apply to the box causes it to accelerate.

* Gravity pulling an apple: The force of gravity accelerates the apple downwards.

* A car braking: The force of friction from the brakes causes the car to decelerate (slow down).