Which of Newton’s laws says that a net force acting on an object causes the object to accelerate in the direction of the force?

The law that states a net force acting on an object causes the object to accelerate in the direction of the force is Newton's Second Law of Motion. It's often written as F = ma, where F represents the net force exerted on an object, m represents the mass of the object, and a represents the acceleration caused by the force. This law essentially explains that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass.

The law that states that a net force acting on an object causes the object to accelerate in the direction of the force is Newton's second law of motion. This law can be mathematically expressed as F = ma, where F represents the net force applied to an object, m represents the object's mass, and a represents the acceleration produced by the net force.

To understand this law, let me explain how to derive it:

1. Start with the concept of force: Force (F) is a vector quantity that represents the push or pull applied to an object. It is measured in Newtons (N).

2. Newton's first law states that an object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will continue moving at a constant velocity in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force.

3. Now, consider the acceleration of an object. Acceleration (a) is the rate at which the velocity of an object changes over time. It is also a vector quantity, measured in meters per second squared (m/s²).

4. Newton's second law connects force, mass, and acceleration. It states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force applied to it and inversely proportional to its mass. This can be mathematically represented as F = ma, where F is the force, m is the mass, and a is the acceleration produced by the net force.

Therefore, according to Newton's second law, when a net force acts on an object, the object will accelerate in the direction of the force. The greater the net force applied, the greater the acceleration, and the greater the mass of the object, the smaller the acceleration for a given force.