If a mass is doubled and the same net force is applied, how does the acceleration change?

If a mass is doubled and the same net force is applied, how does the acceleration change?

• A. The acceleration halves
• B. The acceleration remains the same
• C. The acceleration doubles
• D. The acceleration reduces to a quarter

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that acceleration is inversely proportional to mass when the net force is fixed. From F = ma, you can rearrange to a = F/m. If you double the mass while keeping the force the same, the denominator doubles, so the acceleration becomes half as large. For example, with the same force, doubling mass changes a from a to a/2. The force still changes velocity, but the more massive object resists acceleration more, so the rate of change of velocity is reduced.

The key idea is that acceleration is inversely proportional to mass when the net force is fixed. From F = ma, you can rearrange to a = F/m. If you double the mass while keeping the force the same, the denominator doubles, so the acceleration becomes half as large. For example, with the same force, doubling mass changes a from a to a/2. The force still changes velocity, but the more massive object resists acceleration more, so the rate of change of velocity is reduced.