Forces on an elevator:

Think about a time when you were riding an elevator (not a super slow one like at school…) and you felt either
heavier or lighter than normal. If you were standing on a bathroom scale while riding an elevator, the scale would
actually show you a different weight as well! Riding an elevator does not change the force of gravity acting on you.
A bathroom scale actually is telling you how much normal force is exerted on you from the floor. Draw the forces
acting on a person riding an elevator in all of the situations below. Determine the direction of acceleration and net
force, then determine if you would feel lighter or heavier than normal.

Not moving: Moving upward, slowing down:

Acceleration direction: _____ Acceleration direction: _____

Net force direction: _____ Net force direction: _____

Feel light, heavy, or normal? _________ Feel light, heavy, or normal? _________

Moving upward, speeding up: Moving downward, speeding up:

Acceleration direction: _____ Acceleration direction: _____

Net force direction: _____ Net force direction: _____

Feel light, heavy, or normal? _________ Feel light, heavy, or normal? _________

Moving upward at a constant speed: Moving downward, slowing down:

Acceleration direction: _____ Acceleration direction: _____

Net force direction: _____ Net force direction: _____

Feel light, heavy, or normal? _________ Feel light, heavy, or normal? _________