Newton’s second law of motion states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting upon it and inversely proportional to its mass. This relationship can be expressed by the formula F = ma, where F represents the net force, m the mass of the object, and a the acceleration. Essentially, this law implies that to increase an object's acceleration, either the net force must increase or the mass must decrease. It provides a fundamental understanding of how forces influence the motion of objects, forming a cornerstone of classical mechanics.