Here's why:
* Newton's Second Law: This fundamental 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. Mathematically, this is represented as: F = ma, where:
* F is the net force
* m is the mass of the object
* a is the acceleration
* Direction: Force and acceleration are vector quantities, meaning they have both magnitude and direction. If the net force is negative, it means it's acting in the opposite direction of what's considered positive. Since acceleration is directly proportional to force, the acceleration will also be in the same negative direction.
Example:
Imagine pushing a box to the right (positive direction). If you apply a force to the left (negative direction), the net force will be negative. This negative force will cause the box to accelerate to the left (negative direction).
