A 60.0-kg person rides in elevator while standing on a scale. The elevator is traveling downward but slowing down at a rate of 2.00 m/s². The reading on the scale is closest to A) 589 N. B) 708 N. C) 469 N. D) 120 N. E) 349 N.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When the elevator is slowing down while moving downward, it is experiencing an upward acceleration. The apparent weight is calculated by adding the product of mass and acceleration to the gravitational force: $ W = m(g + a) = 60.0 \, \text{kg} \times (9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 + 2.0 \, \text{m/s}^2) = 708 \, \text{N} $.

A 600-Kg Person Rides in Elevator While Standing on a Scale