Question

If a parrot starts flying upwards with an acceleration in an airtight cage, then the boy will feel that the weight of the cage has ________.

Answer 1

Hint
Use the concept of apparent weight to solve the problem. As apparent weight is considered due the upward acceleration of the parrot, hence the net normal reaction force increases. And we know if normal increases, the cage will appear heavier since the boy will require more force to lift it up.

Complete step by step answer
Since the bird of mass 'm' is accelerating upwards with acceleration 'a' apparent weight (R) of the cage becomes
$\Rightarrow R - mg = ma$
$\Rightarrow R = mg + ma$
Here apparent weight(R) is the reaction exerted by the surface of contact on the bird.
M is the mass of the bird.
g is the acceleration due to gravity.
Now as the normal reaction force is R greater than the weight of the bird (mg) the weight of the cage must increase.

Note
One can directly apply the concept of pseudo force to solve the problem. Since the parrot is going upward with acceleration a, hence the pseudo force will act downward and we will require the same value of Normal force. And hence the cage will appear heavier.