Question

As part of a physics experiment, you carry a bathroom scale calibrated in newtons onto an elevator and stand on it. At rest, you check the scale and it reads 588 N. Then the elevator starts accelerating upward at 2.0 m/s2 and you check the reading again. Now what does the scale show

Answer 1

Answer: 708 N

Explanation:

Given

At rest, Elevator reads 588 N

When it starts moving upward at $2\ m/s^2$, apparent weight changes

i.e. weight can be given by

$\Rightarrow W'=m(g+a)\\\Rightarrow W'=mg+mg\cdot \dfrac{a}{g}\\\\\Rightarrow W'=W\left(1+\dfrac{a}{g}\right)\\\\\Rightarrow W'=588\left(1+\dfrac{2}{9.8}\right)\\\\\Rightarrow W'=707.99\approx 708\ N$

The apparent weight is 708 N