How does the mass of the cart affect its acceleration?

Effect of Mass on Acceleration

Acceleration is the rate of change of an object's velocity over time. When an external force is applied to an object, it accelerates in the direction of that force. However, the acceleration of an object can be influenced by its mass.

According to Newton's Second Law of Motion, the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. This means that as the mass of an object increases, its acceleration decreases, assuming the force remains constant.

When we apply this concept to the scenario of a cart, we can conclude that as the mass of the cart increases, its acceleration decreases. This is because the cart becomes harder to push or pull with a greater mass, requiring more force to achieve the same acceleration. Conversely, a lighter cart with less mass would accelerate more easily when a force is applied.

In simple terms, the relationship between mass and acceleration can be summarized as follows: as the mass of the cart increases, the acceleration of the cart decreases. This fundamental principle of physics highlights the importance of considering mass as a factor in determining acceleration in various scenarios.