Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE) Integrated Science (024) Practice Exam

What equation represents Newton's Second Law of motion?

1. F = kx

2. F = ma

3. F = mg

4. F = mv

The correct answer is: F = ma

The equation representing Newton's Second Law of motion is F = ma, where F stands for force, m represents mass, and a signifies acceleration. This fundamental principle of classical mechanics reveals how the force applied to an object is directly proportional to the mass of that object and the acceleration produced as a result. When a net force acts on an object, it causes the object to accelerate in the direction of the force. The greater the mass of the object, the more force is necessary to achieve a certain acceleration, illustrating the relationship encapsulated in the equation. This law is critical for understanding motion and dynamics in various contexts, from everyday experiences to complex engineering problems. The other choices reflect different physical principles: F = kx represents Hooke's Law, which describes the behavior of springs and elastic materials; F = mg expresses the gravitational force acting on an object (where g is the acceleration due to gravity); and F = mv suggests a relationship between force and momentum, but does not accurately convey Newton's Second Law since it does not incorporate acceleration directly.