Answer :
Final answer:
In an elevator experiencing free fall, the scale would read an apparent weight of zero. When the elevator descends and accelerates, the scale shows less than your actual weight. At constant velocity, up or down, the scale would show your true weight.
Explanation:
The question pertains to how weight is perceived in different scenarios, particularly in an elevator. When standing on solid ground, the scale reads the actual weight due to the gravitational pull acting on the body. In an elevator, if it accelerates downward or is in free fall, like when the cable snaps, the scale would show a decrease in weight. This weight shown on the scale in such a scenario is referred to as the apparent weight.
In your case, if an elevator were in free fall your apparent weight would be zero, as there would be no contact force between you and the scale. Thus, while in free fall, the scale would not show your real weight. As the elevator starts to descend and accelerate downwards, you would feel lighter, which is why the scale shows only 123 lblb, less than your actual weight of 143 lblb. When the elevator descends with a constant velocity, the scale would again show your true weight, similar to being at rest on solid ground.
