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When will your apparent weight be the greatest, as measured by a scale in a moving
Chapter 5, Problem 19Q(choose chapter or problem)
Problem 19Q
When will your apparent weight be the greatest, as measured by a scale in a moving elevator: when the elevator (a) accelerates downward, (b) accelerates upward, (c) is in free fall, (d) moves upward at constant speed? In which case would your weight be the least? When would it be the same as when you are on the ground?
Questions & Answers
QUESTION:
Problem 19Q
When will your apparent weight be the greatest, as measured by a scale in a moving elevator: when the elevator (a) accelerates downward, (b) accelerates upward, (c) is in free fall, (d) moves upward at constant speed? In which case would your weight be the least? When would it be the same as when you are on the ground?
ANSWER:
Solution 19Q
Step 1 of 4:
We are going to find the apparent change in a moving elevator. Assume that your weight on the ground is mg.
(a)
If the elevator accelerates downward with constant acceleration (a), the apparent weight will be
W = m(g - a)---(1)
(b)
If the elevator accelerates upward,
W = m(g+a)----(2)
(c)
If it is in free fall (a = g) and the equation (1) becomes
W = m(g - g)
W = 0
(d)
If it is moving up with constant speed (a = 0) and the equation (2) becomes
W = m(g+0)
W = mg