Conceptual question concerning forces and scales and elevators

[picklepie159]

Homework Statement

Just a small, little concept that I don't get...

A man is in an elevator. He is on a bathroom scale. When the elevator goes up, the number on the scale increases. When The elevator goes down, it decreases. What does the scale measure?

Homework Equations

If an object is at rest, the Weight Force is equal Normal Force.

The Attempt at a Solution

In class, the teacher said that when th elvator was accelerating down, then the forces added up to an overall downward pull. He added something about Newton's first law, and then concluded the class with a "The scale measures normal force." and "Weight cannot be measured in moving instances" I understand the second quote, but I am confused about what the normal force really is, and how I can calculate it.

 

[PhanthomJay]

The Normal force is the contact force acting perpendicular to the 2 objects in contact. The normal force always points toward the object on which it acts, as long as the two surfaces in contact are not physically attached to one another. To calculate it, you need to draw a free body diagram of the man. His weight acts down, and the normal force (the scale reading) acts which way? Then use Newton 2.