Applied Force Vs. tension Force

[enantiomer1]

Homework Statement

hey just having a hard time figuring out a question about tension and applied force:
A dock worker pulls two boxes connected by a rope on a horizontal floor, as shown in the figure (Intro 1 figure) . All the ropes are horizontal, and there is some friction with the floor.
the boxes are 850 N (A) and 750 N (B) respectively, all I need to know is direction of applied force and tension force on Box B
I think it should look something like <----Friction force (Box B) ----->Tension and Applied force
but some how I don't think that's right

 

[LowlyPion]

Friction is the maximum force needed to overcome the resistance to sliding. If you don't pull enough to overcome the resistance as given by the coefficient times the weight, then of course it doesn't move. And the tension of the rope is completely balanced by the friction.

So if you are pulling on a rope then the tension in the rope is against the friction, and of course in the event you get it to moving then, the excess would go into accelerating the motion of the mass of the box after that.