On Earth, the ratio of the force (newtons) to the mass (kilograms) of an object is always the same
This statement is referring to Newton's second law of motion, which states that the ratio of force to mass is constant for any given object on Earth. This ratio is known as acceleration and is denoted by the symbol "a."
To mathematically express this relationship, we use the equation:
F = m * a
where:
- F represents force (measured in newtons),
- m represents mass (measured in kilograms), and
- a represents acceleration (measured in meters per second squared).
According to Newton's second law, if we keep the mass of an object constant and apply a force to it, the object will experience acceleration in the same direction as the force. Conversely, if we apply a force to an object and keep the force constant, the object will experience acceleration inversely proportional to its mass.
In simple terms, this means that the greater the force applied to an object or the lesser the object's mass, the greater the resulting acceleration. Conversely, the smaller the force applied or the greater the object's mass, the lesser the acceleration.
So, the ratio of force to mass (F/m) remains constant for any object on Earth, provided that no other forces (like friction or air resistance) are acting upon it.