Question

A standard bathroom scale is placed on an elevator. A 25 kg boy enters the elevator on the first floor and steps on the scale. What will the scale read (in newtons) when the elevator begins to accelerate upward at 0.4 m/s2? Express your answer in newtons.

Answer 1

Answer:

F = 255 N

Explanation:

It is given that,

Mass of the boy, m = 25 kg

Acceleration of the elevator, $a=0.4\ m/s^2$

The elevator is accelerating in upward direction. The net force acting on the boy is given by :

$F=mg+ma$

g is the acceleration due to gravity

$F=m(g+a)$

$F=25\times (9.8+0.4)$

F = 255 N

The scale reading is 255 N as it begins to accelerate upward. hence, this is the required solution.