Let's review the basic concepts related to Newton's second law to determine the correct equation.
Newton's second law of motion states that the acceleration (a) of an object is directly proportional to the net force (F) acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass (m). This relationship can be expressed with the following formula:
[tex]\[ a = \frac{F}{m} \][/tex]
Where:
- [tex]\( a \)[/tex] is the acceleration of the object.
- [tex]\( F \)[/tex] is the net force acting on the object.
- [tex]\( m \)[/tex] is the mass of the object.
Now let's analyze the given options:
A. [tex]\( a = Fm \)[/tex]
This option implies that acceleration is the product of force and mass. This is incorrect because it does not match the correct relationship described above.
B. [tex]\( a = \frac{m^2}{F} \)[/tex]
This option suggests that acceleration is proportional to the square of the mass divided by force, which is incorrect and does not align with Newton's second law.
C. [tex]\( a = \frac{F}{m} \)[/tex]
This option correctly states that acceleration is the force divided by the mass. This is the accurate representation of Newton's second law.
D. [tex]\( a = F \im \)[/tex]
This equation is incorrectly formatted and does not make sense in the context of Newton's second law.
From our analysis, the correct equation that states Newton's second law is:
C. [tex]\( a = \frac{F}{m} \)[/tex]
