O m (Remember that the scalar mg is the weight of the fish.) Now suppose the elevator is moving with an acceleration a relative to an observer standing outside the elevator in an inertial frame (see the figure). The fish is now a particle under a net force. Apply Newton's second law to the fish. (Assume that the fish is in figure (a). Use the following as necessary: m, g, and a) EFy =T- mg = Solve for T: (1) T = ma, + mg = mg| + where we have chosen upward as the positive y-direction. We conclude from Equation (1) that the scale reading T is ---Select--- v the fish's weight mg if a is upward, so a, is positive (figure (a)), and that the reading is ---Select--- mg if a is downward, so a, is negative (figure (b)). (b) Evaluate the scale readings for a 50.0-N fish if the elevator moves with an acceleration a, = ±2.60 m/s². SOLUTION Evaluate the scale reading (in N) from Equation (1) if a is upward: T = Evaluate the scale reading (in N) from Equation (1) if a is downward: T = N Finalize Take this advice: if you buy a fish in an elevator, make sure the fish is weighed while the elevator is either at rest or accelerating downward! Furthermore, notice that from the information given here, one cannot determine the direction of the velocity of the elevator. EXERCISE Suppose that during the launch of a rocket from the surface of the Earth, an astronaut onboard the rocket stands on a bathroom scale and measures her weight to be 5.5 times her normal weight. Determine the magnitude of the acceleration of the rocket (in m/s²). Hint m/s²
O m (Remember that the scalar mg is the weight of the fish.) Now suppose the elevator is moving with an acceleration a relative to an observer standing outside the elevator in an inertial frame (see the figure). The fish is now a particle under a net force. Apply Newton's second law to the fish. (Assume that the fish is in figure (a). Use the following as necessary: m, g, and a) EFy =T- mg = Solve for T: (1) T = ma, + mg = mg| + where we have chosen upward as the positive y-direction. We conclude from Equation (1) that the scale reading T is ---Select--- v the fish's weight mg if a is upward, so a, is positive (figure (a)), and that the reading is ---Select--- mg if a is downward, so a, is negative (figure (b)). (b) Evaluate the scale readings for a 50.0-N fish if the elevator moves with an acceleration a, = ±2.60 m/s². SOLUTION Evaluate the scale reading (in N) from Equation (1) if a is upward: T = Evaluate the scale reading (in N) from Equation (1) if a is downward: T = N Finalize Take this advice: if you buy a fish in an elevator, make sure the fish is weighed while the elevator is either at rest or accelerating downward! Furthermore, notice that from the information given here, one cannot determine the direction of the velocity of the elevator. EXERCISE Suppose that during the launch of a rocket from the surface of the Earth, an astronaut onboard the rocket stands on a bathroom scale and measures her weight to be 5.5 times her normal weight. Determine the magnitude of the acceleration of the rocket (in m/s²). Hint m/s²
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