A rocket experiences a constant force even as the amount of fuel in its fuel tanks decreases. What happens to the acceleration of the rocket as it runs out of fuel?

Newton’s second law is F = ma, so acceleration is a = F/m. With the force constant, a smaller mass gives a larger acceleration. Therefore, as the rocket runs out of fuel and its mass decreases, its acceleration increases: choice D, “The acceleration increases because the mass decreases.”

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