Understanding the Concepts

* Newton's Second Law: Force (F) equals mass (m) times acceleration (a): F = m * a

* Acceleration: The rate of change of velocity. A higher acceleration means an object speeds up or slows down more quickly.

Calculations

1. 10-kg Object:

* F = 500 - n (where n is some unknown force)

* a = F / m = (500 - n) / 10

2. 5-kg Object:

* F = 500 - n

* a = F / m = (500 - n) / 5

Comparing Accelerations

Notice that the acceleration of the 5-kg object is twice as large as the acceleration of the 10-kg object, regardless of the value of 'n'.

Conclusion

The 5-kg object will accelerate faster because it has less mass. A smaller mass means the same force will produce a greater acceleration.