Understanding the Concepts

* Newton's Second Law of Motion: This law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. Mathematically:

* F = m * a

* F = Force (in Newtons, N)

* m = Mass (in kilograms, kg)

* a = Acceleration (in meters per second squared, m/s²)

Solving the Problem

1. Identify the knowns:

* Force (F) = 40 N (north)

* Mass (m) = 10 kg

2. Rearrange the formula to solve for acceleration:

* a = F / m

3. Plug in the values and calculate:

* a = 40 N / 10 kg

* a = 4 m/s²

Answer: The acceleration of the box is 4 m/s² north.