Acceleration Calculation in Physics

How to calculate the acceleration of an object in physics?

By using Newton's second law of motion, we can determine the acceleration of an object by considering the applied force and mass.

Acceleration Calculation Using Newton's Second Law of Motion

Newton's second law of motion states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass, expressed as F=ma.

When calculating acceleration in physics, it is essential to understand Newton's second law of motion, which relates the force acting on an object to its resulting acceleration. By rearranging the formula F=ma, we can determine the acceleration (a) of an object by dividing the applied force (F) by its mass (m).

In the given scenario, a boy is pulling a wagon with an applied force of 35 N on a frictionless surface. The mass of the wagon is 12 kg. By plugging in the values into the formula a = F/m, we can calculate the acceleration of the wagon to be approximately 2.92 m/s².

Understanding how to calculate acceleration in physics is crucial for analyzing the motion of objects and predicting their behavior under different forces. By applying Newton's second law of motion, we can accurately determine the acceleration of various objects and better comprehend the principles of motion.