Final answer:
Insufficient airflow through the condenser could cause low-side pressure to be high and high-side pressure to be low, as the condenser is unable to effectively release heat, affecting the condensation and evaporation processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The condition that could cause the low-side pressure to read high and the high-side pressure to read low in a refrigeration system is insufficient airflow through the condenser core (option c).
A properly functioning condenser is essential for removing heat from the refrigerant gas and allowing it to condense into a liquid.
If there is insufficient airflow, the condenser cannot effectively release heat, which causes the high-side pressure to drop as the gas doesn't condense as it should, and the low-side pressure to rise because the liquid refrigerant returning to the evaporator coils would be warmer and increase pressure on the low side.
In contrast, an overcharged system (option b) would likely result in high pressure on both sides, and a damaged compressor (option d) could result in low pressures on both sides due to its inability to compress the refrigerant properly.