Which one of the following free-body diagrams best represents the free-body diagram,with correct relative force magnitudes,of a person in an elevator that is traveling upward but is gradually slowing down at a rate of ? _f is the force of the floor on the person and _g is the force of gravity on the person.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since the elevator is slowing down, the net force on the person is downward and equal to the force of gravity. Therefore, the force of the floor on the person must be less than the force of gravity to create a net downward force. Option B shows this correctly with the force of gravity being greater than the force of the floor, but still having an upward component since the elevator is still moving upward. Options A and C show the force of the floor being greater than the force of gravity, which is incorrect. Options D and E show the forces being equal, which is also incorrect since the elevator is slowing down.

Which One of the Following Free-Body Diagrams Best Represents the Free-Body