A student of mass stands on a bathroom scale inside a lift (elevator)
PHYSICS · Multi-part · AP · Physics 1: Algebra-based · Force and Translational Dynamics · Force and Translational Dynamics
Problem
A student of mass 50kg stands on a bathroom scale inside a lift (elevator). The scale shows the force exerted by the student on it.
(i) Describe, with reasons, the reading on the scale when the lift is at rest.
(ii) The lift now accelerates upward. Explain qualitatively whether the force measured by the scale is greater than, less than, or equal to the reading in part (i).
(iii) Identify all the action–reaction force pairs that act during the upward acceleration and state on which two bodies each pair acts.