When an elevator is accelerating, it creates a force that pushes objects in the elevator, including a dropped ball, towards the back of the elevator. This causes the ball to move backwards relative to the observer outside the elevator, giving the illusion that it is moving slower or even upwards.
Yes, the mass of the ball will affect its acceleration in an elevator. According to Newton's Second Law of Motion, the greater the mass of an object, the greater the force needed to accelerate it. This means that a heavier ball will require a greater force to accelerate, and therefore will experience a smaller acceleration in the elevator compared to a lighter ball.
The acceleration of the elevator and the acceleration of a dropped ball are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction. This is due to the fact that the force causing the ball to accelerate backwards in the elevator is equal to the force pushing the elevator forward, as described by Newton's Third Law of Motion.
The direction of the elevator's acceleration will determine the direction of the ball's acceleration. If the elevator is accelerating upwards, the ball will accelerate downwards relative to the observer outside the elevator. If the elevator is accelerating downwards, the ball will accelerate upwards relative to the observer outside the elevator.
In a stationary elevator, the ball will fall straight down due to the force of gravity. However, in an accelerating elevator, the ball will appear to move backwards as it is pushed towards the back of the elevator by the acceleration force. This means that the acceleration of the ball in an accelerating elevator is not solely due to gravity, but also the force of the elevator's acceleration.