Final answer:
The rough surface of the sidewalk increases the friction between the surface and the box, thereby opposing the force applied to pull the box, demanding greater effort to move it along the same distance.
option A is the correct
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is related to the effect of a rough surface on the motion of a box that is being pulled. Assuming the roughness of the surface, which is essentially a measure of irregularities on a microscopic level, we can infer that these irregularities increase the friction between two surfaces in contact.
When pulling the box across such a rough sidewalk surface, more force will be required to overcome this friction, which directly opposes the motion of the box.
Friction is a resisting force that occurs at the interface between two objects. As the surface roughness increases, the box being pulled will encounter more microscopic 'peaks' and 'valleys' that it must overcome, either by breaking off the points of contact or skipping along the tips of the surface irregularities. The adhesion between the molecules of the surfaces (the box and the sidewalk) also contributes to this frictional force.
Answer to the Student's Question
The correct response would be "b. It would oppose the force that is being applied to the box when it is pulled." The rough surface will indeed increase the resistance against the force exerted on the box, making it harder to pull and requiring more work to be done despite the final position being the same. The rougher surface does not reduce work, decrease resistance, nor impact the force of gravity; instead, it increases the effort required to achieve the same displacement.