Four independent situations involving a student in a windowless room are described below
PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Laws of Motion · Laws of Motion
Problem
Four independent situations involving a 70kg student in a windowless room are described below. In each case, neglect air resistance and assume any mechanical support surfaces (floors, scales, or seats) are rigid.
(a) For each situation, calculate the magnitude of the normal force exerted by the floor on the student.
(b) Rank the four magnitudes from greatest to least, clearly indicating any ties.
(c) A second observer, unaware of the external circumstances, is locked inside each room and is asked to infer whether a gravitational field is present. Using your results from part (a), explain the reasoning such an observer might use in each case and state in which, if any, situations the observer could be certain that a true gravitational field is acting.