Newton's Second Law of Motion states that the acceleration ($a$) of an object is directly proportional to the net force ($F_{\text{net}}$) acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass ($m$). The formula is:

$F_{\text{net}} = m \cdot a$

Step 1: Determine the Net Force

We have two forces acting on the object:

• $F_1 = 10 \, \text{N}$ (due North)
• $F_2 = 5 \, \text{N}$ (due South)

Since these forces act in opposite directions, the net force is:

$F_{\text{net}} = F_1 - F_2 = 10 \, \text{N} - 5 \, \text{N} = 5 \, \text{N} \quad (\text{North})$

Step 2: Apply Newton's Second Law

Given:

• $m = 2 \, \text{kg}$
• $F_{\text{net}} = 5 \, \text{N}$

$a = \frac{F_{\text{net}}}{m} = \frac{5 \, \text{N}}{2 \, \text{kg}} = 2.5 \, \text{m/s}^2$

The acceleration of the object is $2.5 \, \text{m/s}^2$ towards the North.

Would you like further details or have any questions?

Related Questions:

1. What would the acceleration be if the mass was doubled?
2. How would the acceleration change if the forces were both increased by 5 N?
3. What direction would the acceleration be if the force due South was larger than the force due North?
4. How does Newton's Second Law relate to the concept of inertia?
5. What happens to the acceleration if the net force is zero?

Tip: Always remember that acceleration depends not only on the magnitude but also the direction of the net force.