Florence, who weighs 120 lb, stands on a bathroom scale in an elevator. What will she see the scale read when the elevator is accelerating upward at 2.0 m/s²? A) 1.2 × 10² lb B) 96 lb C) 1.6 × 10² lb D) 1.4 × 10² lb E) 86 lb

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When the elevator accelerates upward, the apparent weight increases. The apparent weight is calculated using the formula: apparent weight = actual weight + mass × acceleration. Converting 120 lb to mass in kg (120 lb ≈ 54.43 kg), and using g = 9.8 m/s², the apparent weight is 54.43 kg × (9.8 + 2.0) m/s² = 54.43 kg × 11.8 m/s² ≈ 642.27 N. Converting back to pounds (1 N ≈ 0.225 lb), the apparent weight is approximately 144.5 lb, which is closest to 1.4 × 10² lb.

Florence, Who Weighs 120 Lb, Stands on a Bathroom Scale