Final answer:
Wear and tear over time primarily causes issues in gear and tooth mechanisms, leading to reduced efficiency due to decreased precision and increased friction. Proper lubrication is essential for maintaining efficiency and reducing wear.
Step-by-step explanation:
The gear and tooth mechanism faced issues primarily due to wear and tear over time, which can lead to the loss of efficiency in mechanical systems. Wear and tear on the gear teeth can lead to a lack of precision in tooth shapes, which affects the meshing of gears, causing increased friction and reducing efficiency. Friction is a key factor that affects efficiency; the smoother the surfaces and the better the lubrication, the less friction there will be, resulting in higher efficiency. Lubrication significantly affects the efficiency of a simple machine because it reduces friction, allowing for smoother operation and decreasing the loss of energy due to heat generated by friction. In harsh environments, such as marine settings, maintaining lubrication and the condition of moving parts becomes even more challenging due to elements and marine life that might interfere.