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Understanding Apparent Weight: An Elevator Experiment

Learn how gravity's force affects our feeling of weight through elevator movements. Discover how apparent weight changes when accelerating, at rest, or moving at a constant speed.

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Understanding Apparent Weight: An Elevator Experiment

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  1. How can NASA provide a sensation of weightlessness without the expense and high risk of sending astronauts into space? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NvBGb5lf78

  2. Weight vs Apparent WeightThe force of gravity (Fg or F or F ), like any force causes acceleration. Although we tend to think it only pulls us toward the center of the Earth. That ‘pulling’ we feel as weight. But being weightless (like an astronaut is NOT the absence of gravity, rather the absence of F_____ An example is a car going over a hill, or an amusement park ride Your weight feels different when you accelerate

  3. Apparent Weight Our “feeling” of weightlessness is really the absence or reduction of normal (contact) forces acting upon our body. Conversely, we can feel heavier if the normal (contact) forces acting on us are larger than normal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U1GY6voJpk

  4. Apparent Weight in an Elevator Now suppose you stand on the bathroom scale and ride an elevator up and down. Asyou are accelerating upwards and downwards, the scale reading is different than when you are at rest and traveling at constant speed. Which situation does Anna Litical feel the heaviest? Which situation does she feel the lightest?

  5. Apparent Weight in an Elevator Coming Down – Net Force FNET a a FNET Elevator starts accelerating downwards FNET = ma (down) FN < Fmg Elevator at rest Zero Acceleration FNET = 0 FN = Fmg Elevator at constant speed downwards Zero Acceleration FNET = 0 FN = Fmg Elevator is slowing down to a stop while moving down FNET = Fma (up) FN > Fg The normal Force (orange) is what she feels

  6. Apparent Weight in an Elevator Going Up - Concept FBD’s a a FNET FNET Elevator starts accelerating upwards FNET = ma (up) FN > Fg Elevator at constant speed upwards Zero Acceleration FNET = 0 FN = Fg Elevator is slowing down to a stop while moving up FNET = ma (down) FN < Fg Elevator at rest Zero Acceleration FNET = 0 FN = Fg

  7. Answer the questions • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z42xuQLkkGQ

  8. Homework Problem #5

  9. Apparent Weight in an Elevator - Concepts A body at rest wants to stay at rest so when the elevator starts to move down there is less force pushing on your feet. #1 There is no change in motion so the upwards push on your feet must be equal and opposite to your weight #2 #3 Your body wants to keep moving at constant speed but the elevator is slowing down so more force is exerted on your feet #4 The elevator is at rest so the force on your feet must be equal and opposite to your weight #5 Your body wants to remain at rest but the elevator starts to move upwards. This imparts more upwards force on your feet than your weight #6 Your body wants to move upwards at constant speed but the elevator slows down so there is less force on your feet

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