Final answer:
The tension in a moving rope depends on the motion of the load: at rest it equals the load's weight, while during acceleration it can be greater or less, but it is never unrelated to the weight.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about the tension in a rope when a load is moving and how it compares to the weight of the load and the counterweight. According to physics principles, when a load is suspended and at rest, the tension in the rope must be equal to the weight of the load.
Newton's second law supports this as it states that if there is no acceleration (no net force), then the tension (T) must equal the weight (w), which is the mass (m) of the load times gravity (g). Therefore, the equation is T=w=mg. If the load is accelerating, tension would differ.
Therefore, answers (a) Tension is equal to the weight of the load, (b) Tension is greater than the weight of the load, and (c) Tension is less than the weight of the load are all potentially correct depending on whether the load is at rest, accelerating upwards, or accelerating downwards, respectively. However, (d) Tension is unrelated to the weights involved is incorrect because tension is directly related to the forces acting on the load.