Key learning points

1. Acceleration can be measured accurately using light gates or roughly measured using a stopwatch and ruler.
2. The acceleration of an object is proportional to the resultant force acting on the object.
3. The acceleration of an object is inversely proportional to the mass of the object.
4. Newton's Second Law states that F = m × a.

Keywords

• Air track - A track which uses a cushion of air to reduce frictional forces in experiments.

• Directly proportional - A relationship where one value is a constant multiple of the other, represented by y ∝ x.

• Inversely proportional - A relationship where one value is a constant multiple of the other, represented by y ∝ 1/x.

• Newton's Second Law of Motion - Newton's Second Law of motion states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the resultant force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass.

Common misconception