The force on an object is a product of the object's _____ and _____.

• A. Mass; acceleration
• B. Acceleration; velocity
• C. Shape; speed
• D. Mass; velocity

Answer: (A)

Force follows Newton’s second law: F = m × a. This means the force acting on an object depends on how much matter it has (mass) and how quickly its velocity is changing (acceleration). If you push with the same force on a heavier object, its acceleration is smaller, because a = F/m. If you want the same acceleration with more mass, you must apply more force. The other ideas don’t fit the direct relationship: velocity is the speed of motion, not how much force is needed to change motion; shape affects drag but isn’t the fundamental factor in the F = m a equation.