According to Newton′s second law (F = ma), which statement best explains why the pilot of the receiver aircraft must increase the throttle to keep up with the tanker aircraft? a. The tanker aircraft is losing mass, resulting in increased acceleration. b

The correct answer is **b. The tanker aircraft is losing mass, resulting in decreased acceleration.** In the context of air-to-air refueling, the tanker aircraft is losing fuel, which results in a decrease in its mass. According to Newton's second law, if the mass of the tanker decreases but it continues to maintain a certain velocity, its acceleration would decrease. To keep pace with the tanker, the pilot of the receiver aircraft must increase the throttle to maintain the desired separation and matching speed. Update (2024-10-29): According to Newton's second law (F = ma), the force acting on an object is equal to the mass of that object multiplied by its acceleration. In the context of the pilot of a receiver aircraft needing to increase the throttle to keep up with a tanker aircraft, the following explanation can be made: As the tanker aircraft starts to move faster or maintain a specific speed, it exerts a force that propels it forward. To maintain the same relative speed and position in relation to the tanker, the receiver aircraft must also accelerate. This requires the pilot to increase the throttle, thereby increasing the thrust produced by the aircraft’s engines. In simple terms, the pilot must generate enough force (thrust) to overcome the drag and maintain acceleration equal to that of the tanker. If the receiver aircraft does not increase its throttle, it will experience a net backward force relative to the tanker due to air resistance, resulting in a loss of position and potentially creating a risk of collision or failure to rendezvous for refueling. Thus, the need to increase throttle is directly tied to the principles governed by Newton's second law, ensuring that the force generated (through increased throttle) matches the required acceleration to keep up with the tanker, especially since both aircraft have significant mass. Update (2024-10-29): According to Newton's second law (F = ma), the force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration. In the context of a receiver aircraft following a tanker aircraft, if the tanker is maintaining a constant speed and altitude, the receiver aircraft must exert additional force by increasing the throttle to match the speed and position of the tanker. If the receiver aircraft is in a situation where it is initially slower than the tanker, and the pilot increases the throttle, the engine produces more thrust (force). This increased thrust needs to overcome any drag force acting on the receiver aircraft. Since the force is increasing (due to the throttle increase), and the mass of the aircraft remains constant, the acceleration of the receiver aircraft will increase. This means that the pilot's actions will allow the aircraft to accelerate more quickly to catch up with and match the speed of the tanker. In summary, the pilot of the receiver aircraft must increase the throttle to generate more thrust to accelerate towards the tanker. As a result, the acceleration of the receiver aircraft will increase.