Question

A man standing in an elevator holds a spring scale with a load of 5 kg suspended from it. What would be the reading of the scale, if the elevator is accelerating downward with an acceleration 3.8 m/s?.

Answer 1

3.1 kg

Step-by-step explanation:

Applying,

R = m(g-a)..................... Equation 1

Where R = weight of the scale when the elevator is coming down, a = acceleration of the elevator, g = acceleration due to gravith.

From the question,

Given: m = 5 kg, a = 3.8 m/s²

Constant: g = 9.8 m/s²

Substitute these values into equation 1

R = 5(9.8-3.8)

R = 5(6)

R = 30 N

Hence the spring scale is

m' = R/g

m' = 30/9.8

m' = 3.1 kg