Final answer:
The student's assertion is incorrect because the tension in the rope is equal throughout and must match the force exerted by the lower block due to Newton's third law. Additionally, the tension must overcome both the frictional force and the component of weight of both blocks along the incline for acceleration.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's contention that the tension in the rope connecting the boxes has to be larger than the force the lower box exerts on that rope is incorrect. In physics, when considering a system such as two blocks tied together and moving up an incline, the tension in the rope is the same at all points between the two blocks if we neglect the weight of the rope. By Newton's third law, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Therefore, if the rope exerts a force on the lower block to pull it upward, the lower block exerts an equal force on the rope in the opposite direction. Additionally, the tension in the rope must overcome not only the weight of the lower block but also the force of friction and any other forces acting on the blocks (such as component of their weights along the incline).
When the blocks accelerate upwards, the tension must be sufficient to accelerate both blocks, so it must be equal to the force required to overcome both blocks' weight components along the incline and the frictional forces, not just larger than the force the lower block exerts on the rope.