According to Newton's second law of motion, how is acceleration related to the mass of an object?

Newton's second law of motion states that the force acting on an object is equal to the mass of that object multiplied by its acceleration (F = ma). From this relationship, we can deduce how acceleration changes with respect to mass.

When force remains constant, acceleration is inversely proportional to mass. This means that if the mass of the object increases while the applied force stays the same, the acceleration will decrease. Conversely, if the mass decreases, acceleration will increase under the same force. In simpler terms, heavier objects accelerate less than lighter ones when the same amount of force is applied.

This principle helps us understand the dynamics of objects in motion and how their mass affects how quickly they can accelerate when a force is exerted on them. Thus, understanding that acceleration is inversely proportional to mass is crucial when analyzing motion and forces in various contexts, such as sports science and physical rehabilitation.