What Is the Elevator's Z Acceleration When Your Apparent Weight Is Half?

Thread starter gtaylor
Start date Aug 18, 2009
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Acceleration

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When standing on a scale in an elevator, an apparent weight that is half of the real weight indicates that the elevator is accelerating downwards. The relationship between apparent weight and acceleration can be expressed using Newton's Second Law, where the net force equals mass times acceleration. In this scenario, the z acceleration (az) of the elevator can be calculated as az = -0.5g, where g is the acceleration due to gravity. This negative sign indicates that the acceleration is directed downward. Understanding this concept is crucial for analyzing forces in non-inertial reference frames.

Aug 18, 2009

gtaylor

Imagine that you are standing on a scale in an elevator and you find that your apparent weight as read by the scale is half your real weight. What is the elevator's z acceleration az relative to the ground? Express you answer as a multiple of g, and make sure that your value for az has the correct sign.

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Aug 18, 2009

kuruman

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Draw a free body diagram and write down Newton's Second Law. Go for it.

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