Subtopic: Human engineering and safety considerations in design of tractor and agricultural implements
Question Statement:
A two-wheel drive tractor, while negotiating a terrain, indicates 100% slip of one of the rear wheels. Under such a condition, the use of differential lock causes
Options:
(A) equal speed and equal power distribution to both the drive wheels
(B) equal speed and equal torque distribution to both the drive wheels
(C) equal power and equal torque distribution to both the drive wheels
(D) equal speed and unequal power distribution to both the drive wheels
Official Answer Key:
D
Step-by-Step Solution & Explanation
An open (unlocked) differential always splits TORQUE equally between the two half-shafts by design, but allows unequal wheel speeds — this is precisely the problem during one-wheel slip: the spinning wheel needs almost no torque to keep spinning, so the open differential limits BOTH wheels to that same low torque, and the gripping wheel stalls. Locking the differential mechanically forces both wheels to rotate at the SAME SPEED, removing the equal-torque constraint — the gripping wheel can now develop whatever torque its available traction allows, which will generally differ from the slipping wheel's torque. Since power = torque × (common) angular speed, equal speed with unequal torque means UNEQUAL power to the two wheels. Answer: (D).
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