Newton's Second Law of Motion
Newton's Second Law of Motion states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. This is expressed mathematically as:
* F = m * a
Where:
* F is the net force (in Newtons, N)
* m is the mass (in kilograms, kg)
* a is the acceleration (in meters per second squared, m/s²)
Solving for Acceleration
1. Rearrange the formula: To find acceleration (a), we need to isolate it:
* a = F / m
2. Plug in the values:
* a = 15 N / 4 kg
3. Calculate:
* a = 3.75 m/s²
Answer: The acceleration produced by a force of 15 N exerted on an object with a mass of 4 kg is 3.75 m/s².