A : It is very difficult to open or close a door if force is applied near the hinge.
R : The moment of applied force is minimum near the hinge.

Options

A. If both Assertion & Reason are true and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion,
B. If both Assertion & Reason are true but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion,
C. If Assertion is true statement but Reason is false,
D. If both Assertion and Reason are false statements,

Answer

To solve the question regarding the difficulty of opening or closing a door when force is applied near the hinge, we will analyze the concepts of torque and the moment of force.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Torque**:
- Torque (τ) is defined as the product of the force (F) applied and the distance (R) from the pivot point (hinge) to the point where the force is applied. Mathematically, it is expressed as:
\[ \tau = R \times F \]
- Here, R is the perpendicular distance from the line of action of the force to the pivot point (hinge).

2. **Force Application Near the Hinge**:
- When a force is applied near the hinge, the distance R is small. This results in a smaller torque since:
\[ \tau = R \times F \quad \text{(with small R)} \]
- Therefore, the torque is minimized when the force is applied close to the hinge.

3. **Difficulty in Opening the Door**:
- Since torque is the turning force, a smaller torque means it requires more effort to turn the door. Thus, it becomes difficult to open or close the door when the force is applied near the hinge.

4. **Force Application Away from the Hinge**:
- Conversely, when the force is applied farther from the hinge, R increases. This leads to a larger torque:
\[ \tau = R \times F \quad \text{(with larger R)} \]
- A larger torque makes it easier to open or close the door.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Statement A is correct: It is indeed very difficult to open or close a door if force is applied near the hinge.
- Statement R is also correct: The moment of applied force (torque) is minimum near the hinge because the distance R is small.

6. **Final Answer**:
- Both statements A and R are correct, and R provides the correct explanation for A.