A 50 kg person is standing on a bathroom scale in an elevator moving upward.
a.) if the scale reads 56 kg, what is the magnitude of upward acceleration of the elevator (m/s^2)?
b.) Now the elevator is traveling up while slowing down. If the magnitude of deceleration is the same as that in part (a), what is reading given by the scale?

Question

A 50 kg person is standing on a bathroom scale in an elevator moving upward.
a.) if the scale reads 56 kg, what is the magnitude of upward acceleration of the elevator (m/s^2)?
b.)  Now the elevator is traveling up while slowing down.  If the magnitude of deceleration is the same as that in part (a), what is reading given by the scale?

anonymous · Answer

$$R = m(g+a)$$
$$560 = 50 (10 +a)$$
$$560 = 500 + 50a$$
$$60 = 50a$$
$$a = \frac{ 6 }{ 5 } = 1.2m/s^2$$

anonymous · Answer

b) travelling up, decelerating:
N = m(g- 6/5)
N = m*8.8 =  440 N (scale reading)

anonymous · Answer

Thanks Yahoo! =)

anonymous · Answer

@Algebraic - thanks for replying to the question.  I think they're wanting the answer to be in kg, so would I just convert the 440 N to kg?  Or do I use another formula to find it?

anonymous · Answer

@gifty91  Do u have the answer key with u

anonymous · Answer

@gifty91

anonymous · Answer

Not really.. I just get 5 attempts at a question, and after the 5th attempt, it'll only show me the correct answer.