Lenore is on an inclined plane next to her truck. Holding her hands steady, she pushes a box up the plane and into her truck. Where can energy be lost?

Responses

Friction between Lenore’s hands and the box.

Friction between Lenore and the ground.

Friction between the box and the inclined plane.

Friction between the truck and the inclined plane.

1 answer

Energy can be lost in several places during the process of moving the box up the inclined plane into the truck. Here are the specific places where energy loss can occur based on the given options:

  1. Friction between Lenore’s hands and the box: This can lead to energy loss as some of the energy exerted by Lenore may be transformed into heat due to the friction at the interface.

  2. Friction between Lenore and the ground: If Lenore is not moving smoothly (e.g., slipping or dragging her feet), there could be energy loss due to this friction as well.

  3. Friction between the box and the inclined plane: This is a significant source of energy loss, as the box encounters resistance while moving up the incline.

  4. Friction between the truck and the inclined plane: If there is contact between the truck and the inclined plane as the box enters or moves onto it, energy could also be lost here due to friction.

In summary, energy can be lost in all of these given options, but the most significant losses typically occur from friction between the box and the inclined plane and potentially between Lenore's hands and the box.