Skip to main content
Ch 06: Dynamics I: Motion Along a Line
Chapter 6, Problem 6

It takes the elevator in a skyscraper 4.0 s to reach its cruising speed of 10 m/s. A 60 kg passenger gets aboard on the ground floor. What is the passenger's weight (a) Before the elevator starts moving?

Verified Solution

Video duration:
3m
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Weight

Weight is the force exerted by gravity on an object, calculated as the product of mass and the acceleration due to gravity. It is given by the formula W = mg, where W is weight, m is mass, and g is approximately 9.81 m/s² on the surface of the Earth. For a 60 kg passenger, their weight can be determined by multiplying their mass by the gravitational acceleration.
Recommended video:
Guided course
10:19
Torque Due to Weight

Mass

Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object, typically measured in kilograms. Unlike weight, mass does not change regardless of the object's location in the universe. It is a scalar quantity and is fundamental in determining the weight of an object when combined with the acceleration due to gravity.
Recommended video:
Guided course
20:32
Mass Spectrometers

Gravitational Acceleration

Gravitational acceleration is the acceleration experienced by an object due to the force of gravity. On Earth, this value is approximately 9.81 m/s², meaning that an object will accelerate downwards at this rate if in free fall. This constant is crucial for calculating weight, as it directly influences the force exerted on an object by gravity.
Recommended video:
Guided course
07:32
Weight Force & Gravitational Acceleration
Related Practice
Textbook Question
An accident victim with a broken leg is being placed in traction. The patient wears a special boot with a pulley attached to the sole. The foot and boot together have a mass of 4.0 kg, and the doctor has decided to hang a 6.0 kg mass from the rope. The boot is held suspended by the ropes, as shown in FIGURE P6.40, and does not touch the bed. a. Determine the amount of tension in the rope by using Newton's laws to analyze the hanging mass. Hint: If the pulleys are frictionless, which we will assume, the tension in the rope is constant from one end to the other.

673
views
Textbook Question
FIGURE EX6.19 shows the velocity graph of a 75 kg passenger in an elevator. What is the passenger's weight at t=1s? At 5 s? At 9 s?

747
views
1
rank
Textbook Question
Zach, whose mass is 80 kg, is in an elevator descending at 10 m/s. The elevator takes 3.0 s to brake to a stop at the first floor. (a) What is Zach's weight before the elevator starts braking?
613
views
Textbook Question
It takes the elevator in a skyscraper 4.0 s to reach its cruising speed of 10 m/s. A 60 kg passenger gets aboard on the ground floor. What is the passenger's weight (c) After the elevator reaches its cruising speed?
399
views
Textbook Question
A woman has a mass of 55 kg. (a) What is her weight while standing on earth?
409
views
Textbook Question
The mass of the sun is 2.0 x 10^30 kg. A 5.0 x 10^14 kg comet is 75 million kilometers from the sun. What is the magnitude of the comet's acceleration toward the sun?
708
views