According to Newton's Second Law of Motion, the relationship between mass, acceleration, and force is expressed by the equation:
\[ F = m \cdot a \]
where:
- \( F \) is the net force acting on an object,
- \( m \) is the mass of the object, and
- \( a \) is the acceleration of the object.
From this relationship, we can derive how mass and acceleration are related:
-
Direct Proportionality: The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it. This means that if a greater force is applied, the acceleration will increase.
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Inversely Proportional: The acceleration of an object is inversely proportional to its mass. This means that for a given force, an increase in mass will result in a decrease in acceleration. Conversely, a decrease in mass will lead to an increase in acceleration for the same net force.
In summary, when a constant net force is applied, if the mass of the object increases, its acceleration decreases, and if the mass decreases, the acceleration increases. Thus, mass and acceleration are inversely related when considering a constant force.