What explains why a heavy object does not accelerate more than a light object during free fall?

The correct choice, which states that the ratio of weight to mass is consistent for all objects, accurately captures the relationship between mass and gravitational force in free fall.

In the context of free fall, both heavy and light objects experience the same gravitational acceleration, approximately 9.81 m/s² near the surface of the Earth. Weight is defined as the force due to gravity acting on an object and is calculated as the product of mass and gravitational acceleration (Weight = Mass × g). Consequently, while heavier objects do exert a larger gravitational force due to their greater mass, they also possess greater inertia, which is the property of matter that resists changes in motion.

This means that even though the gravitational force acting on a heavy object is greater, the increased mass also means it takes a proportionally larger force to achieve the same level of acceleration as a lighter object. Therefore, both heavy and light objects fall at the same rate in the absence of air resistance.

Other selections relate to aspects that do not fundamentally address this principle: while gravitational force varies with weight, without considering mass, it doesn’t explain why the acceleration is consistent; density and air resistance can play roles in the behavior of objects in different conditions, but they do not influence the