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A 37.8 kg child is standing on a scale in an elevator.Determine the reading on the scale if the elevator is accelerating upwards at 4.1om/s^2

 

1 month ago

Answered By Dhruvin P

When an elevator accelerates upward, it creates an additional apparent force that adds to gravity. Think of it like this - when you're in an accelerating elevator going up, you feel "heavier." Here's how we solve it:

Step 1: Identify the forces

Normal force (scale reading) = mass × (gravity + acceleration) We use (g + a) because the acceleration adds to gravity when moving upward

Step 2: Plug in the values

Mass = 37.8 kg g = 9.81 m/s² a = 4.10 m/s² Scale reading = 37.8 × (9.81 + 4.10) = 37.8 × 13.91 = 525.8 N