Question

Which of the following situations requires overcoming the least amount of kinetic friction?

a.)Pushing an empty refrigerator box down a path
b.)Pushing a refrigerator in its box down a path
c.)Pushing an empty refrigerator box down an icy path
d.)Pushing a refrigerator in its box down an icy path

Answer 1

Pushing an empty refrigerator box down an icy path requires overcoming the least amount of kinetic friction because of the lower weight of the box and the reduced friction provided by the icy surface.

Step-by-step explanation:

The situation that requires overcoming the least amount of kinetic friction is pushing an empty refrigerator box down an icy path. There are a few factors to consider here:

• The mass of the box: a refrigerator in a box is much heavier than an empty box, so the kinetic friction will be higher for the heavier box.
• The surface the box is being pushed on: an icy surface has a lower coefficient of kinetic friction than a regular path, so objects slide easier on ice.
• The combination of a lower mass (empty box) and a slippery surface (ice) will result in the least amount of kinetic friction to overcome.

Therefore, an empty refrigerator box on an icy path will be the easiest to push due to the lower kinetic friction involved compared to the other options.