Two sleds of equal mass \(m\) rest on a frictionless horizontal surface and are connected by a taut, light horizontal rope. A student applies a constant horizontal pulling force of magnitude \(F_0\) to the lead sled, causing both sleds to accelerate together along a straight line. An onboard sensor measures the tension in the connecting rope to be \(T = \dfrac{1}{2}F_0\).

Which of the following statements provides the correct physical explanation for why the connecting rope tension \(T\) is less than the applied force \(F_0\)?