Newton's Second Law
Newton's Second Law of Motion states: *The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass.*
Formula
This is represented by the equation:
* 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 the Problem
1. Identify the knowns:
* F = 16 N
* m = 2 kg
2. Rearrange the formula to solve for acceleration (a):
* a = F / m
3. Substitute the known values:
* a = 16 N / 2 kg
4. Calculate the acceleration:
* a = 8 m/s²
Answer
The acceleration of the 2-kg mass is 8 m/s².
