Why your weight changes when you accelerate in an elevator
In short: Physics defines weight as the gravitational pull on an object, but your apparent weight is actually the normal force pushing back against you. This video explains how vertical acceleration shifts that feeling of weight and why weightlessness occurs.
Weight is specifically the gravitational force an astronomical body exerts on a nearby object. However, what we feel as weight—our apparent weight—is the magnitude of the normal force acting upon us. When you are at rest, these forces align, but vertical acceleration changes the normal force, causing your apparent weight to differ from the gravitational pull.
True weightlessness is defined by the absence of all external forces, or a state where gravity is the only force acting on a system. This distinction is fundamental to understanding how objects behave in different gravitational or inertial environments.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Weight, apparent weight, and weightlessness | AP Physics | Khan Academy
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/ideas-weight-apparent-weight-and-weightlessness-ap-physics.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
