Question

You are moving and two of your friends are helping you load boxes into the car. The car's trunk is a height h, from the ground. The boxes are pushed up onto the trunk of the car with a ramp/ Helper #1 pushes the box up a length of d, while Helper #2 pushes It up a ramp with a length of 2d. The boxes are moving with constant velocity in the same direction as they're being moved and forces of friction does not apply.

The ramps that helper #1 and helper #2 construct of course reach the same height, but the slope of the ramp for helper #1 is steeper since the distance the box will have to travel up the ramp is d, rather than 2d (twice the distance).

Helper #1 seems more tired than helper #2 as they are pushing many boxes up their ramps. Helper #2 claims that Helper #1 is so tired because they have to push the box twice the distance, and the work done by helper #1 is greater than the work done by Helper #2.

Helper #2 thinks Helper #1 will be more tired because their ramp is so much steeper, and more force is needed to counteract gravity equating to more work being necessary.

Help Helper #1 and Helper #2 out:

1. (a) Who does more work on the box as it is moved from the ground to the trunk of the car using their ramp. Use an equation or several to support your answer.

2. Now assuming their is friction between the box and ramp, does this change your answer to #1? Explain and use an equation or several to support your answer.

Answer 1