# press (force)

to move an object until it is in contact with a surface

- Computed level: L5 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: force  ·  Arena: press

## Emergence
**Emerges from:** [work](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-work.effort), [contact](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-contact.physical), [motion](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-motion.movement), [object](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-object.entity), [surface](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-surface.exterior), [time](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-time.dimension)

**Through:** The work of moving an object through space results in physical contact between the object and a surface over time.

**Novel properties:**
- applied pressure
- intentional movement to contact
- temporal directionality

## Examples
- The James Webb Space Telescope's sunshield was pressed into its final layered configuration during deployment in orbit. *(engineering)*
- A thumb presses a thumbtack through paper into a bulletin board at 3.5 newtons of force. *(everyday life)*
- Tectonic plates press against the Mariana Trench, forcing oceanic crust into the mantle at centimeters per year. *(geophysics)*

## Used by
- [button](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-button.tool) (L17)
- [force](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-force.push) (L12)
- [print](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-print.material) (L13)

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*Canonical: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-press.force*  
*Structured data: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-press.force.json*  
*Every definition provably resolves to space, time, energy and pattern.*