Here's why:

* 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, this is represented as: Force (F) = Mass (m) x Acceleration (a)

* Mass: A volleyball is typically lighter than a basketball. Since acceleration is inversely proportional to mass, the lighter volleyball will experience a greater acceleration for the same force.

In simpler terms: Imagine pushing a heavy shopping cart and then pushing a lightweight suitcase with the same amount of effort. The suitcase will move much faster because it has less mass to overcome.