Which tool is used for pulling nails?

The hammer is primarily designed for driving and pulling nails, making it the correct choice for this question. It has a specific feature called a claw, which is the curved end of the hammer. This claw is perfectly shaped to grip the head of a nail effectively. When you position the claw under the nail head and apply a lever motion by pulling the hammer back, the nail is pulled out of the material easily and efficiently.

While other tools listed have their specific uses, they are not ideally suited for nail pulling. A sledgehammer is heavier and used for driving large spikes or demolishing structures, while a mallet is typically made of softer materials to avoid damaging surfaces and is used for driving chisels or adjusting wood without causing splintering. Pliers, although they can grip objects, do not provide the same leverage advantage as a hammer does when it comes to nails, making them less effective for this particular task.