Final answer:
To find the net force when given mass and acceleration in a physics problem, use Newton's second law (F = ma) where force is equal to mass multiplied by acceleration.
Step-by-step explanation:
When given mass and acceleration in a physics problem, you can find the net force by using Newton's second law, which states that force is equal to mass multiplied by acceleration (F = ma). The net force is the combined effect of all the forces acting on an object. For example, if an object has a mass of 10 kg and an acceleration of 5 m/s^2, the net force would be 50 N (10 kg multiplied by 5 m/s^2).