As a rocket travels upward from earth, air resistance decreases along with the force of gravity. The rocket's mass also decreases as it uses up its fuel. If thrust remains the same, how do these factors affect the rocket's acceleration

Question

Physics

Stafford

19 August, 17:14

As a rocket travels upward from earth, air resistance decreases along with the force of gravity. The rocket's mass also decreases as it uses up its fuel. If thrust remains the same, how do these factors affect the rocket's acceleration

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Answers (1)

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Alvaro Huffman · Answer 1

The decrease of these factors increases the acceleration.

Explanation:

Hi, the decrease of these factors increases the acceleration.

Air resistance is a force opposing the acceleration. So if it decreases, the acceleration increases, because the opposite forces decreases.

The same is applied to the force of gravity, since the rocket travels upward; gravity is also an opposite force.

Finally, if the mass decreases, it means that the rocket becomes lighter and the force acting on the smaller mass causes an increase in the acceleration.