Freefall Ride In An Elevator

Classical Mechanics Level 1

A person of 60 kg 60\text{ kg} mass is standing on a weighing machine in a freely falling lift. What will be the reading of the weighing machine?

Take the acceleration due to gravity to be g = 10 ms − 2 g = 10 \text{ ms}^{-2} .

600 N 0 Less than 600 N but more than zero Greater than 600 N

Rohit Gupta by Rohit Gupta , 34, India

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1 solution

Department 8
Feb 26, 2016

First of all the weighing machine weighs the normal reaction let it be N,

Since the guy is falling free it's acceleration is g so he is overall force would be downward which is ( 60 g ) (60g) where his weight is also 60 g 60g

Now using Newton's Second Law

N + 60 g = 60 g N = 0 N+60g=60g \\ N=0

So the weighing machine would weigh 0 Newtons.

9 Helpful 2 Interesting 0 Brilliant 3 Confused

Is the correct answer is Zero??

NITIN BANSAL - 2 years, 4 months ago

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Yeah, no calculations necessary, just a thought experiment, if you were to fall from the sky, neglecting air resistance you would not feel anything as if you were in deep space.

Taonga Ndolo - 1 year, 5 months ago

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