Newton's second law of motion is mathematically represented by the formula:
\[ F = ma \]
where:
- \( F \) is the net force acting on an object (measured in newtons, N),
- \( m \) is the mass of the object (measured in kilograms, kg),
- \( a \) is the acceleration of the object (measured in meters per second squared, m/s²).
From this equation, we can see the relationship between mass and acceleration:
-
Direct Relationship with Force: Acceleration is directly proportional to the net force acting on the object. This means if the net force increases, the acceleration increases, provided the mass remains constant.
-
Inverse Relationship with Mass: Acceleration is inversely proportional to the mass of the object. This means if the mass of the object increases while the net force remains constant, the acceleration decreases. Conversely, if the mass decreases, the acceleration increases for the same force.
In summary, for a given force, a smaller mass will result in a larger acceleration, and a larger mass will result in a smaller acceleration.
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