How Does Elevator Motion Affect Work Done by Forces?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a physics problem involving a 62 kg person in an elevator moving at a constant speed of 4.0 m/s for 5.0 seconds. Participants are tasked with calculating the work done by the normal force and the force of gravity, as well as considering how these calculations would change if the elevator were moving down instead.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the calculation of displacement and the forces acting on the person in the elevator. There are questions about the assumptions made regarding initial and final velocities, and the implications of constant speed on these calculations.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided insights regarding the calculation methods and questioned the assumptions made about the motion of the elevator. There is an ongoing exploration of how to accurately determine displacement and the forces involved, with no explicit consensus reached yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the elevator's motion is at a constant speed, which simplifies some calculations. There are discussions about the implications of this constant speed on the work done by the forces involved.

Enduro
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1. Homework Statement

the question is:
A 62 kg person in an elevator is moving up at a constant
speed of 4.0 m/s for 5.0 s. T / I C

(b) Calculate the work done by the normal force on the person.
(c) Calculate the work done by the force of gravity on the
person.
(d) How would your answers change if the elevator were
moving down at 4.0 m/s for 5.0 s?


2. Homework Equations
W= F x Δd

and i think

Δd= (vf + vi/2)Δt
fg=m.g
3. The Attempt at a Solution

for b) i did Δd= (vf + vi/2)Δt and got displacement which is 10 m and then i did fn=fg since fnet is 0 which means that they have the same force. and for that i got 607.6 N

p.s the answer in the back is 12 kJ which i don't get?
 
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At constant velocity v, what is displacement d over time t?
 
Enduro said:
1. Homework Statement

the question is:
A 62 kg person in an elevator is moving up at a constant
speed of 4.0 m/s for 5.0 s. T / I C

(b) Calculate the work done by the normal force on the person.
(c) Calculate the work done by the force of gravity on the
person.
(d) How would your answers change if the elevator were
moving down at 4.0 m/s for 5.0 s?


2. Homework Equations
W= F x Δd

and i think

Δd= (vf + vi/2)Δt
fg=m.g
3. The Attempt at a Solution

for b) i did Δd= (vf + vi/2)Δt and got displacement which is 10 m and then i did fn=fg since fnet is 0 which means that they have the same force. and for that i got 607.6 N

p.s the answer in the back is 12 kJ which i don't get?

The lift was moving at a constant speed, so calculating displacement is much simpler than the way you did it - and your method gives the wrong answer because you assumed it started out at 0 m/s.
This 5 second interval is presumably a middle interval of the whole journey.
The lift gains speed - then travels at constant speed - then slows down and stops. The 5 sec interval is entirely in the middle section.
 
Enduro said:
1. Homework Statement

the question is:
A 62 kg person in an elevator is moving up at a constant
speed of 4.0 m/s for 5.0 s. T / I C

(b) Calculate the work done by the normal force on the person.
(c) Calculate the work done by the force of gravity on the
person.
(d) How would your answers change if the elevator were
moving down at 4.0 m/s for 5.0 s?


2. Homework Equations
W= F x Δd

and i think

Δd= (vf + vi/2)Δt
fg=m.g
3. The Attempt at a Solution

for b) i did Δd= (vf + vi/2)Δt and got displacement which is 10 m and then i did fn=fg since fnet is 0 which means that they have the same force. and for that i got 607.6 N

p.s the answer in the back is 12 kJ which i don't get?
I believe you meant Δd= [(vf + vi)/2)]Δt. If the speed is constant, vf and vi are the same. Try again.
 

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