http://www.ck12.org Chapter 4. Motion and Forces
4.24 Calculating Acceleration from Force and
Mass
- Describe the relationships among acceleration, force, and mass.
- Show how to calculate acceleration from force and mass.
- Show how to calculate force from mass and acceleration.
Xander goes airborne on his scooter as he exits a half-pipe at Newton’s Skate Park. How did he gain enough speed in
the half-pipe to fly into the air when he got to the top? His increase in speed was due partly to the force of gravity.
Acceleration, Force, and Mass
A change in an object’s motion—such as Xander speeding up on his scooter—is calledacceleration. Acceleration
occurs whenever an object is acted upon by an unbalanced force. The greater the net force acting on the object, the
greater its acceleration will be, but the mass of the object also affects its acceleration. The smaller its mass is, the
greater its acceleration for a given amount of force. Newton’s second law of motion summarizes these relationships.
According to this law, the acceleration of an object equals the net force acting on it divided by its mass. This can be
represented by the equation:
Acceleration=Net forceMass or a=mF