Question Detail
Question
A 100 kg passenger in an elevator moving upward experiences a tension of 800 N in the cable supporting the elevator car. If g = 10 m/s², what is the acceleration of the elevator?
Correct Answer
Option B is the correct answer.
Detailed Explanation
From the summary table for an elevator decelerating upward (or accelerating downward), T = m(g - a). So, 800 = 100(10 - a) => 8 = 10 - a => a = 2 m/s². Since T < mg, the acceleration is downward.
Hint
If the tension is less than the true weight, is the elevator accelerating up or down?