Force Question Using weight and acceleration

AI Thread Summary
To calculate the force exerted by a 50 kg person in an elevator accelerating upward at 1 meter per second squared, Newton's second law (F = ma) is applied. The person exerts a force equal to her weight plus the additional force from the elevator's acceleration. The weight of the person is 50 kg multiplied by the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.81 m/s²), which equals 490.5 N. Adding the force from the upward acceleration (50 kg * 1 m/s² = 50 N) results in a total force of 540.5 N. Therefore, the person exerts a force of 540.5 N while the elevator accelerates upward.
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Question: A 50 kg person stands on an elevator. How much force does she exert if the elevator accelerates upward at 1 meter per second squared?



I know she exerts 50 kg of force while the elevator is stationary, but I don't know the formula for when the elevator moves.
 
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Draw a free body diagram on the person and write out Newton's second law. Remember that the force the ground exerts on the person is equal to the force the person exerts on the ground.
 
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