<strong>Problem: </strong>The mechanisms whereby force operates are poorly understood at the fundamental level. <strong>Purpose:</strong> This paper proposes a mechanism for how a particle detects the field gradient, and how it moves therein. <strong>Approach:</strong> A non-local hidden-variable (NLHV) theory is used, specifically the Cordus NLHV theory. <strong>Findings: </strong>The operation of force is proposed to occur from the interaction between the energisation sequence of the particle, with the field gradient, resulting in discrete displacement motions of the particle. Specifically the particle sub-structures sweep through a volume of space during their energisation cycle. This locus is warped by the incoming field, hence preferentially displacing the particle along the gradient. <strong>Originality:</strong> The novel contribution of this work is providing a candidate mechanism for how a particle detects and moves in a field gradient.