Why is force mass times acceleration? Specifically, why acceleration? What’s the difference between force and momentum?
In: Physics
Physical objects resist changes in motion. How much they resist is their inertia, and that’s proportional to their mass. When we apply that principle to things that are stationary we usually talk about inertia, and when in motion we usually talk about momentum. They are really the same thing.
Instead of thinking about it as F=ma, rearrange the formula. F/m = a.
To get greater acceleration, increase the applied force or decrease the object’s mass. And vice versa.
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