key term - Newton's Second Law

Definition

Newton's Second Law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force applied to it and inversely proportional to its mass. It can be mathematically expressed as F = ma (force equals mass times acceleration).

Related terms

Mass: The amount of matter in an object. It determines how much inertia and resistance to acceleration the object has.

Acceleration:

The rate at which an object changes its velocity over time when subjected to a net force.

Net Force: The vector sum of all forces acting on an object, determining its overall acceleration or deceleration.