In second law of motion F = ma, F stands for

The correct answer is Net external force on body.

Key Points

• In the second law of motion, F = ma, F represents the net external force acting on a body.
• The second law of motion states that the acceleration of a body is directly proportional to the net external force applied to it and inversely proportional to its mass.
• This law is expressed mathematically as F = ma, where 'F' is the net external force, 'm' is the mass of the body, and 'a' is the acceleration.
• Net external force is the vector sum of all the external forces acting on a body, excluding internal forces.
• The direction of the acceleration is the same as the direction of the net external force.

Additional Information

• Newton's Laws of Motion
  • Sir Isaac Newton formulated three laws of motion that describe the relationship between the motion of an object and the forces acting on it.
  • The first law, also known as the law of inertia, states that an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force.
  • The third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
• Force
  • Force is a vector quantity that causes an object to move or change its velocity.
  • It is measured in newtons (N) in the International System of Units (SI).
• Mass
  • Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object.
  • It is a scalar quantity and is measured in kilograms (kg) in the SI unit.
• Acceleration
  • Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity of an object with respect to time.
  • It is a vector quantity and is measured in meters per second squared (m/s²) in the SI unit.