Question

An 80 kg worker stands on a bathroom scale in a motionless elevator. When the elevator begins to move, the scale reads 960 N. Find the magnitude of the elevator's acceleration. (Use g=10m/s^2)​

Answer 1

`a=2\ m/s^2`

Step-by-step explanation:

Given that,

Mass of a worker, m = 80 kg

When the elevator begins to move, the scale reads 960 N

We need to find the magnitude of the elevator's acceleration. The net force acting on it is given by :

`F_s-F_g=ma\\\\F_s-mg=ma\\\\960-80(10)=80a\\\\160=80a\\\\a=2\ m/s^2`

So, the magnitude of the elevator's acceleration is
`2\ m/s^2`.