State Newton's second law of motion. - Leaving Cert Physics - Question (a) - 2007

Newton's second law of motion states that the rate of change of momentum of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it, given by the formula:

$F = ma$

where:

• $F$ is the net force applied to the object,
• $m$ is the mass of the object,
• $a$ is the acceleration produced due to the applied force.

This law explains how the acceleration of an object is affected by the mass of the object and the amount of force applied.