A man who has a mass of 50 kg stands in an elevator that is accelerating up at 3 m/s^2. How much does this man weigh? What does he read on the scale as he accelerates up?
weight = 50*g
scale reads 50(g+3)
To find out how much the man weighs, we need to calculate his weight using the formula:
Weight = mass x gravitational acceleration
The gravitational acceleration on Earth is approximately 9.8 m/s^2, but please note that this value may vary slightly depending on your location on Earth.
In this scenario, the man's mass is given as 50 kg. So, we can calculate his weight as follows:
Weight = 50 kg x 9.8 m/s^2
Weight ≈ 490 N (Newtons)
So, the man weighs approximately 490 Newtons.
However, the reading on a scale measures the force exerted by an object on the scale, which is equivalent to its weight. In this case, as the elevator is accelerating upwards at 3 m/s^2, it implies that there is an additional force acting on the man.
To find out what the scale would read, we need to consider the net force acting on the man.
Net force = Weight + Additional force
The additional force in this case is given by:
Additional force = mass x acceleration
Additional force = 50 kg x 3 m/s^2
Additional force = 150 N
Therefore, the net force acting on the man is:
Net force = Weight + Additional force
Net force = 490 N + 150 N
Net force = 640 N
Thus, the man would read 640 Newtons on the scale as he accelerates upward in the elevator.