Question

A student whose normal weight is 500 Newtons stands on a scale in an elevator.

a. What is the student's weight when the elevator is accelerating upward?
b. What is the student's weight when the elevator is accelerating downward?
c. What is the student's weight when the elevator is moving at a constant speed?
d. What is the student's weight when the elevator is at rest?

Answer 1

When the elevator is accelerating upward, the student's weight is greater. When accelerating downward or at a constant speed, the weight is the same. When the elevator is at rest, the weight is the normal weight.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the elevator is accelerating upward, the student's weight will be greater than their normal weight. This is because the scale is pushing up on the student with a force greater than their weight to accelerate them upward. The greater the acceleration of the elevator, the greater the scale reading will be.

When the elevator is accelerating downward, the student's weight will be less than their normal weight. This is because the scale is pushing down on the student with a force less than their weight due to the downward acceleration.

When the elevator is moving at a constant speed, the student's weight will be equal to their normal weight. This is because there is no acceleration, and the scale reading will be the same as their weight.

When the elevator is at rest, the student's weight will also be equal to their normal weight. In this case, there is no acceleration, and the scale reading will be the same as their weight.