Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and the Yahoo Answers website is now in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Does an elevator gain weight while it lifts something?

Ignoring any possible air friction factors, does it gain weight while lifting an object?

4 Answers

Relevance
  • 8 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    No. Weight W = mg is based solely on the mass, m, and gravity field strength, g. Those do not change, no matter which way the lift goes.

    But what does change is the effective or net weight w = W +/- F = m(g +/- a) where F = ma is the force added or subtracted due to the elevator accelerating upward (added) or downward (subtracted).

    So in your case, there will be a brief "gain" in net weight while the elevator accelerates upward. But once the lift is no longer accelerating, that gain, F = ma, disappears and w = W, which is just the real weight. F = ma disappears because the acceleration disappears and we have a = 0; so F = ma = m0 = 0.

    Note this is true with or without friction. As long as the lift accelerates, either direction, the real weight W will be added or subtracted by F = ma depending on which way the lift is going as it accelerates.

  • ?
    Lv 5
    8 years ago

    Does it gain weight? Well, no. The weight (act of gravity on a mass) of an elevator will increase if it were to have an object (such as a human) placed on/in it. However, as the elevator is moving, it is the Force of gravity (Fg= m*g) and Force of Friction (Ff= mu*FN) that act on the moving object. It may gain weight if collecting mass on the way up. That's about it.

    Take care.

    Source(s): Moderate understanding of physics.
  • 6 years ago

    Julie, you answered a question about getting root access to cmd as standard user, you say this is possible? If so please email me at timmabouy@hotmail.com , this would make a fella happy I am a software C# developer and my main project is lost in my inaccessible admin account, hopefully you will do so thanks in advanced I mean you might aswell.

  • ?
    Lv 5
    6 years ago

    No it doesnt

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.