Mechanics: Newton's Laws of Motion

Newton's Laws of Motion: Audio Guided Solution

Problem 13:

The shipment of the new physics supplies have arrived. They are placed on the freight elevator and transported up to the third floor for delivery to the physics rooms. The free body diagram at the right depicts the forces acting upon the freight elevator as it begins its ascent through the elevator shaft. Use force values to determine the net force, the mass and the acceleration of the elevator. The values of the individual forces are:

F_tens = 2340 N
F_grav = 2120 N
F_norm1 = F_norm2 = 276 N.

Audio Guided Solution

Habits of an Effective Problem Solver

• Read the problem carefully and develop a mental picture of the physical situation. If necessary, sketch a simple diagram of the physical situation to help you visualize it.
• Identify the known and unknown quantities in an organized manner. Equate given values to the symbols used to represent the corresponding quantity - e.g., v_o = 0 m/s; a = 4.2 m/s/s; v_f = 22.9 m/s; d = ???.
• Use physics formulas and conceptual reasoning to plot a strategy for solving for the unknown quantity.
• Identify the appropriate formula(s) to use.
• Perform substitutions and algebraic manipulations in order to solve for the unknown quantity.

Read About It!

Get more information on the topic of Newton's Laws of Motion at The Physics Classroom Tutorial.

• Mass and Weight
• Determining Acceleration From Force Values

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