Key ideas1 of 3
Resultant force causes acceleration
Newton’s second law links resultant force, mass and acceleration: F = m × a. F is resultant force in newtons (N), m is mass in kilograms (kg) and a is acceleration in m/s². Acceleration is in the direction of the resultant force. For the illustrated 2 kg object with a 6 N resultant force to the right, a = F ÷ m = 6 ÷ 2 = 3 m/s² to the right. Use the resultant force, after combining any opposing forces.
