Q14DQ - University Physics with Modern Physics

Question

The acceleration of a falling body is measured in an elevator that is traveling upward at a constant speed of 9.8 m/s. What value is obtained?

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The acceleration of the body is the acceleration due to gravity (g = 9.8 m/$s^2$)

Step 1: Newton’s Second law

A body accelerates when a net force acts on it and travels in the same direction as the net force. The product of mass and acceleration vector is equal to the force vector.

$\sum \overrightarrow{F} =m\overrightarrow{a}$

Step 2: Determine the acceleration of the body.

The elevator is not accelerating but moving upward at a constant speed (a = 0). Hence only force acting on the body is gravity. As a result, the acceleration of the body is the acceleration due to gravity $\left(g=9.8m/s^2\right)$