What is Elevator: Definition and 567 Discussions

An elevator (North American English) or lift (Commonwealth English) is a type of cable-assisted, hydraulic cylinder-assisted, or roller-track assisted machine that vertically transports people or freight between floors, levels, or decks of a building, vessel, or other structure. They are typically powered by electric motors that drive traction cables and counterweight systems such as a hoist, although some pump hydraulic fluid to raise a cylindrical piston like a jack.
In agriculture and manufacturing, an elevator is any type of conveyor device used to lift materials in a continuous stream into bins or silos. Several types exist, such as the chain and bucket elevator, grain auger screw conveyor using the principle of Archimedes' screw, or the chain and paddles or forks of hay elevators. Languages other than English, such as Japanese, may refer to elevators by loanwords based on either elevator or lift. Due to wheelchair access laws, elevators are often a legal requirement in new multistory buildings, especially where wheelchair ramps are not possible.
Some elevators can also travel horizontally in addition to the usual vertical motion.

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  1. Pengwuino

    Holy crap, a vacuum in-home elevator?

    Holy crap, a vacuum in-home elevator? http://www.gizmag.com/go/4007/ I WANT THAT! Not really for myself... but to move lots of crap up and downstairs where id normally have to make like 50 trips :)
  2. S

    AH"Calculate Acceleration & Direction of Elevator with Scale Help | SARAH

    A person stands on a bathroom scale in a motionless elevator. When the elevator begins to move, the scale briefly reads only 0.72 of the person's regular weight. Calculate the acceleration of the elevator, and find the direction of acceleration. I know that the direction of acceleration is...
  3. W

    Space Elevator to Solve World's Energy Shortage

    If carbon nanotubes are great conductors, and if a wire moved through a magnetic field generates electricity, then a space elevator constructed out of carbon nanotubes should be able to generate a lot of electricity. Maybe too much. I think the carbon nanotubes would melt. Indeed, if there...
  4. N

    Solving Scale in an Elevator: N-W=ma?

    you are standing on a scale in an elevator. the scale reads 176lb when the elevator is at rest. the elevator begins to accelerate upward at 12ft/s^2. what is the reading of the scale? i converted 176lb to 80kg. i know the sum of all forces equals mass*acceleration but i don't know what...
  5. G

    Solving Elevator Question: 50kg = 300N

    If a man weights 50kg, but a scale in the elevator says he is 300N, what can you say about the acceleration? Thanks a lot
  6. J

    What does a scale read in an elevator at rest?

    I know you must get these all of the time but... There is a man standing on a scale in an elevator reading 490N. When the elevator is at rest what does the scale read? I want to say 490 N because the elevator is in equilibrium, but I'm not sure...
  7. Y

    Max and min forces on an elevator.

    " A elevator with a mass of 4850 kg is to be designed so that the maximum acceleration is 0.0600 g's. What are the max and min forces the motor should exert on the cable?" I converted the .0600 gs to .558 m/s/s, but when iplugged it into the F=ma formula i got the wrong answer? am i supposed...
  8. S

    Work Done by Elevator Lifting Mechanism

    A 2000kg elevator rises from rest in the basemtn to the fourth floor, a distance of 25m. As it passes the fourth floor, its speed is 3.0 m/s. There is a constant frictional force of 500N. Calculate the work done by the lifting mechanism. I tried doing v2square = v1square + 2ad and i get 0.18...
  9. D

    Understanding Elevator Physics: Solving a Mass Discrepancy on a Bathroom Scale

    Hello there, for some reason I always found myself having trouble with elevator questions. Can you solve this problem and explain it briefly what's going on? I appreciate your kindness. Regards,
  10. S

    Space Elevator on Mars: Feasibility, Design Issues & Vibration

    How feasible is the idea of making a space elevator on Mars? What are the design issues? Will the swaying and vibration problems be of the same magnitude as earth?
  11. D

    How do you show the force of an elevator going up?

    for example, with an elevator not moving you have weight down and tension up. but let's say it starts moving up...being on that elevator would make it FEEL heavier, correct? but the elevator is moving up so isn't the force going up? I am trying to make a free body diagram to show a persons...
  12. S

    Elevator pulled upward by cable - find tension

    here's the question, An elevator cab is pulled upward by a cable. The cab and its single occupant have a combined mass of 2000kg. When that occupant drops a coin, its acceleration relative to the cab is 8.00m/s^2 downward. What is the tension in the cable? could someone explane to me...
  13. A

    Force Analysis of an Elevator Moving Upward

    please help me... (a) An elevator of mass m moving upward has two forces acting on it: the upward force of tension in the cable and the downward force due to gravity. When the elevator is accelerating upward, which is greater, T or w? (b) When the elevator is moving at a constant...
  14. A

    Person in Elevator with Scale

    Hi, this problem gave me some trouble and I'm not sure if I did this correctly. The problem reads: A 75-kg person steps onto an elevator with a scale. What does the scale read when the elevator (a) is at rest, (b) climbing at 3.0m/s, (c) falling at 3.0m/s, (d) accelerating upward at 3.0m/s^2...
  15. C

    Calculate Elevator's Acceleration with Person on Bathroom Scale

    A person stands on a bathroom scale in a motionless elevator. When the elevator begins to move, the scale briefly reads only 0.67 of the person's regular weight. Calculate the acceleration of the elevator. how do i start this problem? help please!
  16. E

    Finding T in an Elevator Moving with Constant Velocity

    Im having trouble with a part of a problem. The problem is: There is an elevator with a mass of 1200kg accelrating upward at 2.1m/s^2. Find T. For that what I did was 1200 \times 9.8m/s^2 which gave me 11,760. I then plugged this into F=ma and got 14,280. The second part of the equation...
  17. T

    Elevator acceleration with mass

    Woman stand on a scale in a moving elevator. Her mas is 60 kg, and combined mass of elevator and scale is additional 815 kg. From rest, elevator accelerates upwards. During Acceleration, the cable applies a force of 9410N. What does the scale read during acceleration. Formula or solution...
  18. S

    How High Was the Elevator When the Nut Fell?

    A nut falls off of an elevator moving upwards at 3 m/s. The nut takes 5 s to hit the ground. Q) How high was the elevator the instant the nut fell off , the answer should be 107.5 metres i solved this a few weeks ago, now i just can't remmeber it :( casue the test is in 2 days
  19. D

    Elevator falls when I am inside

    My schools building has 6 stories, I usually have to go up to 6th storey to meet my teacher. That buildign elevator is old and it sounds terrible when it moves up or down. I don't want to use stairs because I will be very tired. I am 180 cm tall, my weight is 80kgs. What should I do if...
  20. L

    NASA Space Elevator Feasibility: NASA Announces New Launch Vehicle and CEV

    Yeah, they'll have those right after they have satellites that can scratch your ass with a laser beam from space. Cheers...
  21. D

    Tension in String of 5.5kg Object in Accelerating Elevator

    A 5.5-kg object is suspended by a string from the ceiling of an elevator that is accelerating downward at a rate of 2.5 m/s^2 What is the tension in the string?
  22. A

    Can a space elevator be stabilized without reaching geostationary orbit?

    Hi. This may be really basic, but would appreciate your help. Is a tower whose height reaches a geostationary orbit at 35,000km's altitude or so more stable that one which doens't quite reach that height? So, say you are building a tower, decide you'd like it more stable, so should you go...
  23. dduardo

    Elevator Hack: Go Directly to Your Floor!

    Ever wanted to go to a certain floor without stopping? Try this hack the next time your on an elevator: http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/1604
  24. S

    Weight of a person in a elevator going down

    Im new to physics and I am trying to do some problems here, I hope someone can help me, here it goes : If a passenger with a mass of 72.2kg stands on a weight scale in a elevator. What is the reading on the scale if the elevator goes down with a constant acceleration of 3.20 m/s^2.
  25. B

    Fun elevator problem, find accel

    This is a really fun probl, I've been trying to get for a while: A 600 N man stands on a bathroom scale on elevator. After, it starts moving the scale reads 900 N. Find Acceleration (magnitude/direction) EF = ma weight - T = ma wt - T = ma (600 N)(9.8 m/sec2) - T = ma i noticed i didn't...
  26. E

    Using Newtons 2nd law in an elevator

    if a guy is in an elevator (55 kg for the person), and then he jumps straight uo- the scale will read 622 N. what is the acceleration of the guy at this instant? how do you deal with this b/c i don't know how to do it unless he is still standing on the scale. i know there should be an...
  27. Y

    How does weight change in an accelerating elevator?

    I had to do this problem for school but I couldn't figure out how to do it so I need some help. Let's say I weigh 165 pounds and I am standing on a scale in an elevator that accelerates to 1 meter per second and then stays at the constant speed of 1 mps. How would my weight change during the...
  28. U

    Simple Harmonic Motion of a Spring Elevator

    the question is http://home.earthlink.net/~urban-xrisis/phy002.jpg a. \omega = \sqrt{\frac{k}{m}} \omega = \sqrt{\frac{500}{2}} b. F=kx \frac{g}{3} * 2kg=500x x=1.31cm c. since the block displaces 1.31 cm then that is it's amplitude I don't undersatnd what they mean by inital...
  29. N

    Solving Ball Dropped in Accelerating Elevator: 2.1m, 4.6m/s, 1.2m/s2

    Ball in Elevator... Q. Ball in Elevator -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A physicist is inside an elevator rising in a skyscraper. She is holding a ball at a height h = 2.1 m above the floor of the elevator...
  30. P

    Help(Pendulum in a falling elevator)

    One of our homework questions is: You are in an elevator at the top of the CN tower. You have a pendulum and allow it to oscillate. The elevator falls to the ground after someone cuts its support cables. What does the pendulum do? Ignore the air resistance acting on the pendulum and the...
  31. W

    Elevator and spring problem

    Problem: An elevator cable breaks when a 754 kg elevator is 20.8 m above the top of a huge spring (k = 6.93×104 N/m) at the bottom of the shaft. Calculate the amount the spring compresses (note that here work is done by both the spring and gravity). i calculated the speed of the elevator...
  32. K

    Solving the Elevator Problem: Weight, Speed & Acceleration

    A 56-kg girl weighs herself by standing on a scale in an elevator. What does the scale read when the elevator is ascending at 13m/s buts its speed is decreasing by 4m/s in each second? I know you use Newton's second law, however, I do not know how to find acceleration..
  33. P

    Solving Elevator Force Problem: Acceleration Calculation & Direction Explanation

    The question reads "A person stands on a bathroom scale in a motionless elevator. When the elevator begins to move, the scale briefly reads only .75 of the person's regular weight. Calculate the acceleration of the elevator, and the direction." I know that the direction is going down...
  34. T

    How does the spring scale read in different elevator scenarios?

    What will a spring scale read for teh weight of a 58 kg woman in an elevator that moves (a) with a constant upward speed of 6.0 m's, (b) with a constant downward speed of 6.0 m/s, (c) with upward acceleration of 0.33g, (d) with downward acceleration of 0.33g, and (e) in free fall? I'm having...
  35. M

    Pressure difference in a bucket sitting in an elevator

    if a bucket is on an elevator floor in a inconpressible fluid of density p. When the elevator is accelerating downards, what is the pressure difference between two points in a fluid, separated by a vertical distance of delta h. I was thinking that it is p (g - a) delta h, since it should be...
  36. D

    Buoyancy in Free-Falling Elevator: Explained

    so you have a girl in the elevator with a balloon. the elevator begins to descend in free-fall, and the girl releases the balloon in surprise. my book says that the balloon will stay at the same level relative to the girl as before, which brings me to my question: do buoyancy forces not work...
  37. T

    Calculating Strain in a Slowing Elevator Cable

    A 1260kg freight elevator is supported by a steel cable of diameter 34.9mm. It is loaded with a crowd of people collectively having a mass of 2850kg and it is descending. What is the strain in the cable when it is brought to a stop in 0.600s? I'm not really sure how to figure in the fact...
  38. J

    Drawing FBD for object inside elevator

    I got alittle confused on something... say an elevator is moving downward and its speed decreases. If you are drawing a FBD of a block inside the elevator, there are only two forces acting on the block, normal force from the elevator floor and weight force. But since elevator is decreasing...
  39. V

    Elevator problem with safety rails, spring, and a snapping cable->

    Elevator problem with safety rails, spring, and a snapping cable---> The cable of an 1800 kg elevator snaps while it is 3.7 meters above a spring with constant of k = 0.15 MN/m. Also, a safety guide rail device provides a 4.4 kN frictional force against the fall for the duration of the fall...
  40. I

    Calculating Scale Reading in an Accelerating Elevator

    Hello! This is my first time posting here! I'm so glad I found this site, it's helped a lot already just by reading other people's questions! But now I have my own - A woman stands on a scale in a moving elevator. Her mass is 52.5 kg, and the combined mass of the elevator and scale is an...
  41. V

    How Do You Calculate Elevator Motion and Energy After a Cable Snap?

    elevator problem - urgent help! The cable of the 1800 kg elevator snaps when the elevator is at rest at the first floor, where the cab bottom is a distance d = 3.7 m above a cushioning spring whose spring constant is k = 0.15 MN/m. A safety device clamps the elevator against guide rails so that...
  42. R

    Stationary elevator homework problem

    I'm doing this Physics worksheet and I don't know how to do this problem... Allison is standing on a scale that is in a stationary elevator. what is the apparent weight when she is moving up at 8 m/s squared? If anyone can help that would be great.. And if you could explain the steps you...
  43. J

    Solving Elevator Problem: How Long for a Ball to Drop?

    the problem looks pretty straight forward, but i suck at physics and i can't solve it :( a person is inside an elevator going up at constant speed of 5.7m/s. person drops a ball at height 1.8m. how long does it take the ball to hit the elevator floor? i set up my equation thingy to 0=1.8...
  44. M

    Calculating Elevator Acceleration: Tips for Solving a Motion Problem

    Here's the problem: A person stands on a bathroom scale in a motionless elevator. When the elevator begins to move, the scale briefly reads only 0.75 of the person's regular weight. Calculate the acceleration of the elevator, and find the direction of acceleration. I honestly don't know...
  45. U

    Find the Average Power of a 560 kg Elevator

    Can someone please help with this? Thanks in advance. A(n) 560 kg elevator starts from rest. It moves upward for 4.61 s with a constant acceleration until it reaches its cruising speed of 2.13 m/s. The acceleration of gravity is 9.8 m/s2. Find the average power delivered by the elevator...
  46. O

    If a 235 lb person falls 2 stories in an elevator

    I have a situation wherein a 235pound 30 year old man claims that he was in an elevator at our company and that the elevator free-fell 2 stories and injured his knee. However, the man is claiming that his total injury is a bruise (but he wants a lot of money from us). I'm having a hard...
  47. G

    Normal force on box on elevator floor?

    In Fig. 5-42, elevator cabs A and B are connected by a short cable and can be pulled upward or lowered by the cable above cab A. Cab A has mass 1700 kg and cab B has mass 1200 kg. A 12.0 kg box of sand lies on the floor of cab A. The tension in the cable connecting the cabs is 1.86 x 10^4 N...
  48. L

    How Do You Calculate Elevator Cable Forces for Maximum and Minimum Motor Load?

    An elevator (mass 4100 kg) is to be designed so that the maximum acceleration is 0.0700g. What is the maximum force the motor should exert on the supporting cable? What is the minimum force the motor should exert on the supporting cable? I converted the acceleration to .6867 m/s^2 and...
  49. tony873004

    Elevator dropped book question

    While riding on an elevator descending with a constant speed of 3.4 m/s, you accidentally drop a book from under your arm. (a) How long does it take for the book to reach the elevator floor, 1.2 m below your arm? s (b) What is the book's speed (relative to the earth) when it hits the...
  50. M

    Space elevator and ionoshphere

    space elevator and ionosphere would a space elevator short circuit the 250,000 volt difference between the Earth and the ionoshere making it dangerous?
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