According to Newton's Second Law, the net force on an object depends on both its mass and acceleration. Which equation correctly expresses this relationship?

• A. $F=\frac{a}{m}$
• B. $F=a-m$
• C. $F=ma$
• D. $F=\frac{m}{a}$

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall Newton's Second Law of Motion, which states that the net force \(F\) acting on an object is directly proportional to the mass \(m\) of the object and its acceleration \(a\).
2. Express this relationship mathematically as \(F = m \times a\), where \(F\) is the net force, \(m\) is the mass, and \(a\) is the acceleration.
3. Understand that this means the force is the product of mass and acceleration, not a ratio or difference between them.
4. Review the incorrect options: \(F = \frac{a}{m}\) implies force is acceleration divided by mass, which is not correct; \(F = a - m\) implies force is acceleration minus mass, which has no physical meaning; \(F = \frac{m}{a}\) implies force is mass divided by acceleration, which is also incorrect.
5. Conclude that the correct equation expressing Newton's Second Law is \(F = m a\).