What happens to an object when a net force acts upon it?

When a net force acts upon an object, it results in acceleration of that object, as described by Newton's second law of motion. This law states that the net force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration (F = ma). Therefore, when a net force is applied, the object will change its velocity, which can manifest as speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction.

Acceleration can occur in various forms; for example, an object at rest will start to move when a net force is applied, while an object already in motion may speed up or change direction. This relationship illustrates the fundamental principle that an unbalanced force is necessary to change the state of motion of an object. Thus, when a net force acts upon it, the object's acceleration occurs according to the magnitude and direction of that force.

In contrast, remaining stationary denotes that no net force acts on the object, and becoming heavier does not pertain to force and motion dynamics; weight is dependent on mass and gravitational force, not on the application of a net force. Additionally, while an object can move in circular paths under certain forces, not all net forces result in such motion, as linear and other types of motions are also possible