Elevator Lab

Purpose: It is important to understand that the weight of an object or a person does not feel the same at all times due to gravitational force. Gravitational force is another one of the four fundamental forces occurring in nature. Isaac Newton, a physicist, stated that gravitational force is universal and exists within any two objects. Newton’s second Law of Motion will mainly be explored in this lab. His second law states that a body’s acceleration is directly proportional to its net force and inversely proportional to its mass. This Law gives the equation, Fnet = m * a. This lab will apply our knowledge of Newton’s Laws of Motion, Kinematics, and net force to know more about the relationship between force and acceleration. The purpose of this lab is to investigate how acting against or with the force of gravity has an effect on a person’s weight while using an elevator. For later: The weight of the object does not change. However, the force being exerted on the object must be greater than the weight of the object in order for it to be moved.

Hypothesis: If there is an object with mass in an elevator and the elevator rises, then the object’s initial weight will increase because the force of gravity is acting upon it. If there is an object with mass in an elevator and the elevator decreases in height, then the object’s initial weight will decrease because the object is acting with gravity.

Materials:

• Human Body (2- 4)

• Scale

• Digital Camera

• Elevator

• Pencil/paper

Procedure:

1. Gather a group of two to four students with all the materials listed above.

2. Place scale on solid, non-moving surface.

3. Record