Chapter 6, Problem 3A

Is acceleration directly proportional to mass, or is it inversely proportional to mass?

To determine

To identify: Whether the acceleration is directly or inversely proportional to mass

Answer to Problem 3A

Acceleration is inversely proportional to mass

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

Acceleration is the change in velocity of an object with time and it is caused by applying a suitable force on the object.

Acceleartion not only depends on the force but also the mass of the object under consideration. A heavier object gets less accelerated compared to a lighter object. Thus it indicates that the acceleration and mass are inversely proportional to each other.

This can be mathematically expressed by the Newton’s second law which gives the force as,

  $F=ma$

Now, for a constant applied force, the acceleration can be expressed as,

  $a\propto \frac{1}{m}$

This proves the inverse relationship between mass and acceleration.