Weighing Less in Skyscraper Lobby: What's Going On?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of weight variation in relation to gravitational forces, specifically in the context of being inside a massive skyscraper. Participants are exploring why one might weigh slightly less in the lobby of such a structure.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are questioning the relationship between distance from the Earth's center and weight, with some expressing confusion about how being in a skyscraper affects weight. There is also a focus on the comparison of weight in different locations, such as the top of the skyscraper versus ground level.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants seeking clarification on the factors influencing weight. Some have raised questions about the gravitational effects of the skyscraper itself and how it compares to the Earth's gravitational pull. There is no explicit consensus yet, but the dialogue is probing deeper into the concepts involved.

Contextual Notes

Participants are grappling with the implications of gravitational attraction from both the Earth and the skyscraper, and how these forces interact at different elevations. The original poster has indicated a desire for guidance without seeking direct answers.

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The question is...Strictly speaking, you weigh less (tiny bit) when you are in the lobby of a massive skyscraper. Why is this so?

I need help...I'm not asking for the answer...just some direction
I'm confused because I thought the greater the distance from the Earth's center, the less weight of an object.
Thanks
 
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pengie4life said:
The question is...Strictly speaking, you weigh less (tiny bit) when you are in the lobby of a massive skyscraper. Why is this so?

I need help...I'm not asking for the answer...just some direction
Thanks
Well you are in a massive skyscraper right? :smile:
 
Okay...I'm still lost...did you see I edited my original post...greater the distance from the Earth's center, the less weight...so why do you weigh less in a building
 
Weigh less compared to what?

Less than you would at the top of the skyscraper or less than you would on a beach at the same elevation?

The universal law of gravitation applies to all masses, not just when one of the masses is the Earth. The skyscraper has mass, you have mass, therefore the there is a gravitational attraction between you and the mass of the skyscraper above you.

That's why I ask the question "compared to what?" Considering the magnitude of the masses involved, changing your elevation relative to the center of the Earth would have more of an effect than the mass of a mere skyscraper above you.
 

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