Question

A large fish hangs from a spring balance supported from the roof of an elevator. If the elevator has an upward acceleration of 2.45 m/s
2 and the balance reads 60.0 N, what is the true weight of the fish?

Answer 1

Answer:

Original Weight = 48 N

Explanation:

When an object hanging from the roof of an elevator and the elevator moves upward with a certain acceleration say a, then the observe weight is always greater than the actual weight.

And when elevator moves downward direction with acceleration a, then the observe weight is always lesser than the actual weight.

Given data:

a = 2.45 m/s²

Balance reading = Tension = T = 60 N

As elevator moves upward,

So,

               T = m(g + a)

         60 N = m(9.81 + 2.45)

               m = 60/12.26

               m = 4.89 kg

This is the original mass of the hanging fish.

We know that

                Weight = W = mg

                                W = 4.89 × 9.81

                                W = 48 N