How is the acceleration of an object under a constant force described as a function of time?

In the context of Newton's second law, which states that force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma), when an object experiences a constant force, its acceleration remains constant as long as the mass of the object does not change. This means that the acceleration does not increase or decrease over time; instead, it is uniform throughout the duration the force is applied.

A straight horizontal line in a graph that plots acceleration as a function of time indicates that the acceleration value remains the same regardless of the time elapsed. This consistency is what defines uniform motion under a constant force. In scenarios without changing mass or varying force, the acceleration is directly proportional to the applied force, thus affirming that the acceleration will not vary over time.

This fundamental principle illustrates that for an object subjected to a constant net force, the acceleration will always have the same magnitude and direction, leading to the conclusion represented by the horizontal line.