Final answer:
The claim that wire rope is seldom used for sling hoisting heavier materials due to less flexibility is false; wire rope is often chosen for such tasks due to its strength. Tension in physics refers to the force that acts parallel to the length of a connector, such as a rope or cable. In a pulley system with high efficiency, a single rope can effectively support a significant load when the mechanical advantage is substantial. Option B is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that wire rope is seldom used for slings in hoisting heavier materials since the flexibility is not as good in wire rope as it is in manilla rope is false. In fact, wire rope is often preferred for lifting heavy materials because it has a greater strength and durability compared to manilla rope. Flexibility is a factor in how the rope handles and bends, but when it comes to hoisting heavy materials, the strength and load-bearing capacity of the wire rope are more important.
Regarding the forces involved in a tug-of-war challenge, when the rope suddenly snaps, it indicates that the tension force in the rope exceeded its breaking strength. Tension is a force that pulls apart on each point of a connector like rope or wire, in the direction parallel to the length of the connector. Thus, tension force always acts along the length of the rope and can be resolved using trigonometry if the angles of force application are unequal.
For a pulley system lifting a load, the mechanical advantage is the ratio of the load over the effort force. If a system can lift a 200N load with an effort force of 52N with a mechanical advantage of 3.80, it implies that one rope is adequate for supporting the load because a single rope is providing the necessary mechanical advantage to lift the load effectively.