What will be the weight of a man of mass 60kg standing in a lift if the lift is descending vertically at 3ms2?
Answer Details
To find the apparent weight of a man of mass 60 kg standing in a descending lift, we first need to understand the concept of apparent weight. Apparent weight is the force that the man feels as his weight due to the reaction of the lift floor on him. When the lift accelerates, the apparent weight changes from his actual weight.
In this case, the lift is descending with a constant velocity of 3 m/s2. Since the acceleration is downward, it means the lift is accelerating negatively compared to an upward acceleration.
The formula to find the apparent weight (Wapparent) when in a lift is:
Wapparent = m(g - a)
Where:
m is the mass of the man, which is 60 kg
g is the acceleration due to gravity, approximately 9.8 m/s2
a is the acceleration of the lift (3 m/s2 downward)
Substituting these values into the formula, we get:
Wapparent = 60 (9.8 - 3)
Calculating further:
Wapparent = 60 × 6.8
Wapparent = 408 N
The closest option to 408 N in the answers provided is 420 N. Therefore, the correct answer is 420 N.