Final answer:
The type of force Carmen uses is a contact force because she is physically touching and pushing the boxes and the cart. Forces like friction and gravity also play roles in this process.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that best describes the type of force Carmen uses is a contact force. This is because she is physically touching the boxes and the cart to move them. When she pushes the cart to the moving van, she exerts a force in a specific direction which results in the cart moving. This type of force often involves other forces such as friction and gravitational force, both of which can affect the movement of the cart and the effort required by Carmen to push it.
For instance, if Carmen is pushing the cart on a level floor, she is opposing the force of friction between the cart wheels and the floor. If she pushes it up a ramp, she is also working against the gravitational force that pulls the cart downwards. In both cases, the work done by Carmen on the cart implies that she has to exert a force over a certain distance, thus doing mechanical work on the cart.