Final answer:
Additional fuel from a tanker can increase loiter time if stored fuel is the limiting factor. Energy efficiency and operational time are related to the mass of the vehicle and its fuel. Trucks have different trade-offs and can use larger batteries or interchange pre-charged battery modules to increase operation time.
Step-by-step explanation:
If stored fuel is the limiting factor in a vehicle or an aircraft's operation, additional on-load from a tanker can indeed increase loiter time, which is the time an aircraft can spend in the air performing its mission without having to return for refueling. The concept of loiter time is essential in fields such as aeronautics and space engineering where the duration of a mission can be critical.
Considering the mass of the fuel and its significance compared to the vehicle's mass, it is clear that just adding fuel is not always the simple solution. Energy efficiency also depends on the mass being moved—more fuel means higher weight, which means more energy is required to keep the vehicle moving. When it comes to space travel, this principle becomes even more pertinent given the significant fuel load required to overcome Earth's gravity.
For ground vehicles like trucks, the trade-offs are slightly different. While an airplane's performance is highly sensitive to weight, trucks can manage a heavier load. Thus, substituting a part of their cargo space for energy storage like larger batteries could be a feasible solution to increase their operation time without refueling. However, if the space dedicated to energy storage is too large, it might negatively impact the vehicle's cargo capacity and efficiency.
In some cases, a balance between battery size and charging infrastructure might be required, leading to solutions like smaller batteries and more frequent charging stops. Pre-charged battery modules, which could be exchanged at designated stops, might present a practical alternative for a fleet of trucks, reducing downtime associated with charging.