What Happens to a Person in an Accelerating Elevator?

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SUMMARY

When a person is in an elevator that accelerates downward faster than the acceleration due to gravity, the person will rise toward the ceiling of the elevator. This phenomenon occurs because the downward acceleration of the elevator exceeds the gravitational pull on the person. The presence of air does not influence the person's movement in this scenario, although it does affect lighter objects like helium balloons, which would descend toward the floor of the elevator.

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paklun12345
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I have a question.

If a person is in an elevator, and the elevator is accelerating down faster than the gravitational acceleration on the person, then what would happen to the person? Is he going to hit the ceiling? Does the answer have something to do with air?
 
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paklun12345 said:
I have a question.

If a person is in an elevator, and the elevator is accelerating down faster than the gravitational acceleration on the person, then what would happen to the person? Is he going to hit the ceiling? Does the answer have something to do with air?
He would rise toward the ceiling.
Air does not affect a person, but would affect a helium balloon,
which would pull toward the floor.
 

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