Tug of War: Explaining Two True Statements

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Homework Statement

Both the following statements are true; explain them. Two teams having a tug of war
must always pull equally hard on one another. The team that pushes harder against the
ground wins.

Homework Equations

Friction = uN

The Attempt at a Solution

For the first statement...During a tug of war the teams must pull equally hard, or else one of them would have won, right?

As for the second statement : By pushing harder against the ground, the normal force experienced, hence friction, would be larger, so the competitors slip less easily, then?

(I kinda get the concept in mind...but how to explain it in words??)

Thanks in advance!

 

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For the first statement...During a tug of war the teams must pull equally hard, or else one of them would have won, right?

Nope, even if one team pulls harder than the other, the force they exert on each other will be the same. Think about the tension in the rope. If the tension in the rope is T, what force does the rope exert on each team?

 

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Nope, even if one team pulls harder than the other, the force they exert on each other will be the same. Think about the tension in the rope. If the tension in the rope is T, what force does the rope exert on each team?

Isn't it the tension T then?

BTW, does T equals: (your own pulling force's reaction + opponent's pulling force)?