The correct explanation for why the acceleration of the rocket is increasing while the force exerted by its engines remains constant is:
The mass of the rocket decreases as fuel is burned, so the acceleration increases.
This can be explained using Newton’s second law of motion, which states that the acceleration of an object is equal to the net force acting on it divided by its mass (F = ma).
In the case of the rocket:
- The force exerted by the engines remains constant.
- As the rocket ascends, it burns fuel, which means the total mass of the rocket decreases.
- Since the force stays the same and the mass decreases, the acceleration must increase to satisfy the equation F = ma.
Therefore, as the rocket sheds mass, it accelerates more for the same amount of thrust produced by its engines.