Final answer:
Tension force is a force that acts along a flexible connector, such as a rope or cable. It is independent of gravity and pulls outward along the two ends of a rope. The tension in the rope is equal at all locations between the hand and the supported mass.
Step-by-step explanation:
Tension force is a force that acts along a flexible connector such as a rope or cable. It is independent of gravity because tension force pulls outward along the two ends of a rope, irrespective of the force of gravity acting on the objects. When a rope is pulled under tension force, the force is transmitted parallel to the length of the rope, as shown in Figure 4.15. The tension in the rope is equal at all locations between the hand and the supported mass.