A student in an elevator is checking Newton's laws using a scale. The scale is showing a reading lower than the student's actual weight. Which one of these statements explains this phenomenon?
A)The elevator moves upward with constant speed.
B)The elevator moves downward with constant speed.
C)The elevator moves upward with decreasing speed.
D)The elevator moves downward with decreasing speed.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When the elevator moves upward with decreasing speed, it is decelerating, which means there is a net downward acceleration. This causes the normal force (scale reading) to be less than the gravitational force (actual weight).

A Student in an Elevator Is Checking Newton's Laws Using