A person who normally weighs 700 N is riding in an elevator that is moving upward but slowing down at a steady rate. If this person is standing on a bathroom scale inside the elevator, what
Would the scale read?
A) 700 N
B) less than 700 N
C) more than 700 N
D) It could be more or less than 700 N, depending on whether the magnitude of the acceleration is greater than or less than 9.8 m/s².

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When the elevator is moving upward but slowing down, it is decelerating in the upward direction, which means the acceleration is downward. This situation makes the apparent weight (what the scale reads) less than the actual weight because the net acceleration reduces the normal force exerted by the scale on the person.

A Person Who Normally Weighs 700 N Is Riding in an Elevator