Final answer:
Newton's second law of motion states that the acceleration of a system is directly proportional to the net external force and inversely proportional to its mass. The equation F = ma represents this law, where F is the force, m is the mass, and a is the acceleration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Newton's second law of motion states that the acceleration of a system is directly proportional to and in the same direction as the net external force acting on the system, and inversely proportional to its mass. This law can be represented by the equation F = ma, where F is the net external force, m is the mass of the object, and a is the acceleration.
For example, if a force of 10 Newtons is applied to an object with a mass of 2 kilograms, the object will accelerate at a rate of 5 meters per second squared (10 N = 2 kg * 5 m/s^2).
Understanding Newton's second law allows us to calculate the effect of forces on objects and predict their resulting motion.