A person weighs a fish on a spring scale attached to the ceiling of an elevator.

Question

A person weighs a fish on a spring scale attached to the ceiling of an elevator. The true weight of the fish is 40N. If the elevator is acceleration upwards at 2m. sec2 (relative to the observer outside the elevator in the inertial frame) then what is the apparent reading of the spring scale? (Use Newton's 3rd law) If the elevator is accelerating downwards at 2m sec2. what is the apparent reading of spring scale? If the elevator is at rest, what is the reading on the spring scale? If the elevator is in free fall, what happens then?

Explanation / Answer

True weight w = 40 N

Mass of fish M = w / g = 4.081 kg

(a). acceleration a= 2 m/ s^ 2

Scale reading = m ( a+ g )

                      = 48.16 N

(b). Accleration a= 2 m /s^ 2

Scale reading = m( g-a )

                      = 31.83 N

(c).scale reading =w = 40 N

(d). scale reading = 0 .

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