You are riding an elevator upward carrying a 25kg box of rocks in your arms As you reach the floor , the elevator begins to slow at a rate 3m/s^2.
-for each of the forces appearing in the free body diagram of you what is the 3rd law companion force?
-Is the net force of the box of rocks greater than, equal to , or less than the net forces on you?
Well, in this scenario, the forces acting on you, along with their respective third law companion forces, would be:
1. Force due to gravity acting downwards: The corresponding third law companion force would be the normal force exerted by the floor of the elevator pushing you upwards.
2. Force due to the elevator accelerating upwards: The corresponding third law companion force would be the force exerted by you on the elevator in the opposite direction.
Now, when it comes to comparing the net forces on you and the box of rocks, we have to consider that the mass of the rocks does not affect the net force acting on you. The net force on you is determined by the elevator's acceleration, regardless of the mass you are carrying.
So, the net force on the box of rocks would be less than the net force on you, since the box of rocks experiences an additional force due to its own weight (gravity), which you don't experience directly.