Newton's second law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting upon it and inversely proportional to its mass. This relationship can be mathematically expressed with the formula:
\[ F = ma \]
where:
- \( F \) is the net force applied to the object (measured in newtons),
- \( m \) is the mass of the object (measured in kilograms), and
- \( a \) is the acceleration of the object (measured in meters per second squared).
This law implies that:
- The greater the force applied to an object, the greater its acceleration.
- The greater the mass of the object, the less acceleration it will have for the same amount of force.
In summary, the correct statement about Newton's second law is that it describes how the net force acting on an object is related to its mass and the acceleration it undergoes.