Question

Abdul of mass 50 kg is standing in an elevator of his building. The elevator is moving

upwards and is slowing down at a rate of 2.0 m/s? What is Abdul's apparent weight?
Use g = 10 m/s

Answer 1

Abdul has an apparent weight of 600 newtons.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement is incorrectly written. Its correct form is:

Abdul of mass 50 kg is standing in an elevator of his building. The elevator is moving upwards and is slowing down at a rate of 2.0 m/s2. What is Abdul's apparent weight? Use g = 10 m/s2.

According to the statement, we know that elevator and Abdul himself are moving upwards and decelerating, which means that Abdul feels a force from elevator is the same direction of his weight. From 2nd Newton's Law we find the following equation of equilibrium:

`\Sigma F = F-m\cdot g = m\cdot a` (1)

Where:

`F` - Apparent weight, measured in newtons.

`m` - Mass of Abdul, measured in kilograms.

`g` - Gravitational acceleration, measured in meters per square second.

`a` - Net acceleration of the elevator-Abdul system, measured in meters per square second.

In (1) we clear the apparent weight:

`F = m \cdot (a+g)`

If we know that
`m = 50\,kg`,
`a = 2\,(m)/(s^(2))` and
`g = 10\,(m)/(s^(2))`, we find that the apparent weight of Abdul is:

`F = (50\,kg)\cdot \left(2\,(m)/(s^(2))+10\,(m)/(s^(2)) \right)`

`F = 600\,N`

Abdul has an apparent weight of 600 newtons.