A 160 lb person has a mass of 160/32 = 5 slugs. A 160-lb person steps into an elevator and stands on a bathroom scale. Determine the scale reading for the given scenarios. The elevator cable breaks.

Question

A 160 lb person has a mass of 160/32 = 5 slugs. A 160-lb person steps into an elevator and stands on a bathroom scale.  Determine the scale reading for the given scenarios. The elevator cable breaks.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The scale reading would be the same as the person's weight, which is 160 lb, regardless of whether the elevator is moving or not. When the cable breaks, the elevator and the person inside would be in free fall, so there would be no net force acting on them, and they would experience weightlessness. Therefore, the scale reading would be zero.

A 160 Lb Person Has a Mass of 160/32 =