What does Newton's Second Law state about acceleration?

Newton's Second Law of Motion states that the acceleration of an object depends on two key factors: the net force acting on the object and its mass. Specifically, it asserts that acceleration is directly proportional to the net force applied and inversely proportional to the mass of the object. This relationship can be expressed with the formula ( F = ma ) (where F is force, m is mass, and a is acceleration).

This means that if you increase the force applied to an object, its acceleration will increase, assuming the mass remains constant. Conversely, if the mass increases while the force remains unchanged, the acceleration will decrease. This principle is fundamental in understanding how forces interact with mass to produce motion, making it essential for fields such as physics and engineering.

The other choices do not accurately reflect the relationship described by Newton's Second Law: the second option implies that mass is the only influencing factor, the third suggests that acceleration does not change with applied force, and the fourth incorrectly states that acceleration must always be positive, which is not true since acceleration can also be negative (deceleration) depending on the direction of the force.