A550-N physics student stands on a bathroom scale in an elevator that

Jean Blumer

Jean Blumer

Answered question

2021-12-20

A550-N physics student stands on a bathroom scale in an elevator that is supported by a cable. The combined mass of student plus elevator is 850 kg. As the elevator starts moving, the scale reads 450 N. 
(a) Find the acceleration of the elevator (magnitude and direction). 
(b) What is the acceleration if the scale reads 670 N? 
(c) If the scale reads zero, should the student worry? Explain. 
(d) What is the tension in the cable in parts (a) and (с)?

Answer & Explanation

stomachdm

stomachdm

Beginner2021-12-21Added 33 answers

Let the +y-axis be upward. The free-body diagrams for the elevator plus student and the student alone are shown in the figure below. The total mass of student plus elevator is M=850kg. The tension in the cable is denoted by T.
The normal force exerted by the scale on the student is denoted by n. By Newton's third law, this force is equal in magnitude to the downward pressure exerted by the student's feet on the scale (the scale reading), that is n represents the scale’s reading.
The mass of the student alone, whose actual weight is Ws=550N,isms=Wsg=550N9.80ms2=56.1kg
(a)Application of the y-equation of Newton's second law, EFy=may gives
nmsg=msay.
The scale’s reading corresponds to n=450N. Solving for dy, we find
ay=nmsgms=450N550N56.1kg=1,78ms2.
So the student, and thus the elevator, has an acceleration of magnitude 1.78 m/ s, which is directed downward.
(b) Repeating part (a) using the new scale reading, n=670N, we obtain
ay=670N550N56.1kg=2.14ms2,
which represents an acceleration of magnitude 2.14 m/s” and upward direction
(c) In case the scale's reading was zero, that isn = 0, we have
ay=0msgms=g.
The elevator is in free fall...Trouble!
(d) To find the tension T in the cable, we must apply Newton's second law to the student plus elevator this time.
Application of EF,=May gives
TMg=May, NSH which leads to T=M(ay+9).
In part (a), ay=1.78ms2. Hence,
T=(850kg)(1.78m/s2+9.80m/s2)=6817N.
In part (c), ay=g. Hence,
T=M(g+9)=0.
Yes, exactly! That is the trouble!

stomachdm

stomachdm

Beginner2021-12-22Added 33 answers

(a) 1.78m2 (downward)
The equation of the forces acting on the student is:
Nmg=ma(1)
where
Nis the normal reaction of the scale on the student mg is the weight of the student
a is the acceleration of the student
The scale reads 450 N, so this is the normal reaction:
N=450N
Also, we know that the weight of the student is:
mg=550N
So we can find its mass:
m=mgg=5509.8=56.1kg
So now we can solve eq.(1) to find the acceleration:
a=Nmgm=45055056.1=1.78ms2
where the negative sign means the acceleration is downward.
(b) 214ms2,upward
Again, the equation of the forces is
Nmg=ma
where this time, the reading of the scale (and so, the normal reaction) is
N=670N
Solving for the acceleration, we find
a=Nmgm=67055056.1=2.14ms2
and the positive sign means the acceleration here is upward.
(c) Yes
Let's assume the scale is reading zero. In terms of forces, this means that the normal reaction on the student is zero:
N=0
So the equation of the forces simply becomes
mg =ma
Therefore the acceleration is
a=g=9.8ms2
which means that the elevator is accelerating downward at 9.8m/s^{2} this means that the elevator is in free fall, so yes, the student should worry.
Let's now consider the equation of the forces on the elevator:
T-mg =ma(2)
where this time:
T is the tension in the cable
mg=(850kg)(9.8ms2)=8330N is the weight of the elevator +student system
4=1.78ms2 is the acceleration
Solving for T,
T=mg+ma=8330+(850)(1.78)=6817N
(d) (b) 10149 N
Here we can use the same equation
Tmg=ma
where the only difference is that the acceleration is
a=2.14ms2
Solving the equation for T, we find
T=mg+ma=8330+(850)(2.14)=10149.
(d) (c) 0
Again, same equation
Tmg=ma
But this time, the acceleration is
a=9.8ms2
So, we find:
T=mg+ma=8330+(850)(9.8)=0
So, the tension in the cable is zero, since the elevator is in free fall.

2021-12-27

Step1
Given,
Weight of physics student = 550N
mass of elevator and student = 850kg 
Step2
Step3
(a)
N=W+ma
450=550+ma
ma=100
a=1005509.81
a=1.78m/s2
(b)
N=W+ma
670=550+ma
ma=120
a=1205509.81
a=2.14m/s2
(c)
if scale read zero then elevator is going down with acceleration of 9.81 m/s2. he feel weightless
(d)
the temnsion in part (a)
T=mg+ma
T=850(9.811.78)
T=6825.5N
tension in part (c)
T=mg+ma
T=mgmg
T=0N
Step 4
Answer:
(a) magnitude of acceleration is 1.78 m/s2 and direction is downward
(b)
magnitude of acceleration is 2.14 m/s2 and direction is upward
(C)
if scale read zero then elevator is going down with acceleration of 9.81 m/s2 . he feel weightless
(d)
for part (a) 6825.5 N
for part (c) ON

image

 

Jazz Frenia

Jazz Frenia

Skilled2023-05-28Added 106 answers

Step 1:
(a) To find the acceleration of the elevator, we can analyze the forces acting on the system.
Let mstudent be the mass of the student and melevator be the mass of the elevator. The combined mass of the student and elevator is given as mtotal=mstudent+melevator=850kg.
The weight of the system (force due to gravity) is given by Wtotal=mtotal·g, where g is the acceleration due to gravity.
When the elevator is at rest or moving at a constant velocity, the normal force exerted by the scale is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the weight of the system. Thus, we have |Nscale|=|Wtotal|.
In this case, when the scale reads 450 N, we have |Nscale|=450N, so |Wtotal|=450N.
Since |Wtotal|=mtotal·g, we can solve for g as follows:
g=|Wtotal|mtotal=450N850kg0.529m/s2
The acceleration of the elevator is equal to the acceleration due to gravity in magnitude but opposite in direction. Therefore, the acceleration of the elevator is aelevator=0.529m/s2.
Step 2:
(b) To find the acceleration when the scale reads 670 N, we can use the same approach. The magnitude of the normal force exerted by the scale is equal to the magnitude of the weight of the system. Thus, |Wtotal|=670N.
Using the formula g=|Wtotal|mtotal, we can calculate the acceleration as follows:
g=670N850kg0.788m/s2
Again, the acceleration of the elevator is equal in magnitude to the acceleration due to gravity but opposite in direction. Therefore, the acceleration of the elevator is aelevator=0.788m/s2.
Step 3:
(c) If the scale reads zero, it means that the normal force exerted by the scale is zero. In this case, the weight of the system must be zero as well. However, the weight of the system is given by Wtotal=mtotal·g.
Since mtotal is positive and g is the acceleration due to gravity (which is always positive), the weight of the system can never be zero unless mtotal is zero (which is not the case here).
Therefore, if the scale reads zero, it implies that there is no contact force between the student and the
scale, which means the scale is not functioning properly or is not in contact with the student. The student should worry about the malfunction of the scale rather than the situation of weightlessness.
Step 4:
(d) In part (a), the tension in the cable can be calculated using the following relationship: Tcable=mtotal·g=850kg·9.8m/s2=8330N.
Therefore, the tension in the cable in part (a) is Tcable=8330N.
In part (c), when the scale reads zero, it implies that there is no normal force exerted by the scale. However, the tension in the cable still needs to balance the weight of the system. Therefore, the tension in the cable is the same as in part (a), which is Tcable=8330N.
Andre BalkonE

Andre BalkonE

Skilled2023-05-28Added 110 answers

(a) To find the acceleration of the elevator when the scale reads 450 N, we can use Newton's second law of motion. The net force acting on the elevator is the difference between the tension in the cable and the weight of the elevator and student. Mathematically, we can express this as:
Fnet=Tmg
where Fnet is the net force, T is the tension in the cable, m is the mass of the elevator and student, and g is the acceleration due to gravity.
We also know that the net force is equal to the mass of the system multiplied by the acceleration of the elevator. Mathematically, this can be written as:
Fnet=ma
Setting these two equations equal to each other, we have:
Tmg=ma
Substituting the given values, we have:
450N(850kg×9.8m/s2)=850kg×a
Simplifying the equation, we can solve for the acceleration a:
a=450N850kg×9.8m/s2850kg
Calculating the value, we find:
a450N8330N850kg9.8m/s2
Therefore, the acceleration of the elevator is approximately 9.8m/s2, in the downward direction.
(b) To find the acceleration when the scale reads 670 N, we can use the same equation as in part (a):
Tmg=ma
Substituting the given values, we have:
670N(850kg×9.8m/s2)=850kg×a
Simplifying the equation, we can solve for the acceleration a:
a=670N8330N850kg
Calculating the value, we find:
a670N8330N850kg7.5m/s2
Therefore, the acceleration of the elevator is approximately 7.5m/s2, in the downward direction.
(c) If the scale reads zero, the student should not worry. When the scale reads zero, it means that the tension in the cable is equal to the weight of the elevator and student:
Tmg=0
Simplifying the equation, we can solve for the tension T:
T=mg
Since the tension is equal to the weight of the system, there is no net force acting on the elevator. In this case, the elevator and the student are in free fall and experience weightlessness. Therefore, the student should not worry.
(d) In part
(a), the tension in the cable can be calculated by substituting the known values into the equation:
T=mg
T=850kg×9.8m/s2
Calculating the value, we find:
T8330N
Therefore, the tension in the cable in part (a) is approximately 8330 N.
In part (c), when the scale reads zero, it means that the tension in the cable is also zero. In this case, the tension is no longer supporting the elevator and the student. Therefore, the tension in the cable in part (c) is zero.

Do you have a similar question?

Recalculate according to your conditions!

New Questions in Force, Motion and Energy

Ask your question.
Get an expert answer.

Let our experts help you. Answer in as fast as 15 minutes.

Didn't find what you were looking for?