What is the shape of a mass vs. acceleration graph?

[liz777]

The mass is constant, and there is a varying force. So would the mass be the dependent value(y-axis) and the acceleration be the independent value(x-axis)?

 

I think the mass is the dependent value so when I graphed it the line went straight across(horizontal). Is this right?

[Sisyphus]

I don't understand. If the mass is constant, why would you be graphing it, and why vs. acceleration particularly? (And yeah, if you did, it would just be a flat line.)

[Kyrisch]

If the mass is constant, then it would make more sense to graph Force vs. Acceleration where the force becomes your independent variable and the acceleration is calculated using [math]F/m[/math].

[Sisyphus]

It would still just be a straight line, though, albeit a diagonal instead of a horizontal.

[Kyrisch]

That would be the point, I guess. We did a lab similar to this my junior year in high school.