Final answer:
The rate of acceleration of an object is primarily determined by the forces acting on the object, as described by Newton's second law of motion, F = ma. Acceleration is a vector quantity and represents the rate of change of velocity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rate of acceleration of an object is determined by the mass of the object and the forces acting on the object. According to Newton's second law of motion, the force applied to an object (F) produces an acceleration (a) that is directly proportional to the force and inversely proportional to the mass of the object (mass). The law is often expressed mathematically as F = ma. Therefore, if you have two objects and apply the same force to both, the object with the smaller mass will experience a greater acceleration.
Acceleration is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction. It is the rate of change of velocity. For instance, if you were to push a book across a smooth table, as you apply more force, the book would accelerate, increasing its velocity in the direction of the force applied. This change in velocity over time represents acceleration.