Question

As part of a physics experiment, you stand on a bathroom scale in an elevator. Though your normal weight is 510 N, the scale at the moment reads 640 N. Calculate the magnitude of the elevator's acceleration.

Answer 1

Let the magnitude of the elevator's acceleration is a.
P = m * g = 510 N
W
= m * (g + a) = 640 N
m = P / g
a = W / m - g = W * g / P - g
a = 640 *
9.81 / 510 - 9.81 = 2.50 N/kg