This key facts covers Newton's Second Law — F = ma within Newton's Laws of Motion for GCSE Physics. Revise Newton's Laws of Motion in Forces for GCSE Physics with 13 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 4 of 15 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 4 of 15
Practice
13 questions
Recall
15 flashcards
📜 Newton's Second Law — F = ma
F = m × a
Force (N) = mass (kg) × acceleration (m/s²)
What this means:
- Acceleration is proportional to force (double F → double a)
- Acceleration is inversely proportional to mass (double m → half a)
- Acceleration is in the same direction as the resultant force
Rearrangements:
- a = F / m (to find acceleration)
- m = F / a (to find mass)
Key insight: This is why heavy objects are harder to accelerate — same force, more mass, less acceleration.