Apparent weight in elevator accelerating upward

[ryan1357]

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 used to get it.

Thanks

 

[Doc Al]

The scale reads the force that pushes up on the girl. Draw a diagram showing the forces on the girl (there are two). The net force on the girl is related to her acceleration by Newton's 2nd law. (Hint: you can express the girl's apparent weight in terms of her actual weight.)

 

[ek]

Just think of the acceleration upwards as more gravity.

The "gravity" has increased from 9.8 to 17.8 m/s^2.

Therefore her apparent weight is just her mass times the new "gravity".