A 75 kg passenger is seated in a cage in the Sling Shot, a carnival ride. Giant bungee cords are stretched as the cage is pulled down, and then they rebound to launch the cage straight up. After the rapid launch, the cords go slack and the cage moves under the influence of gravity alone. What is the rider's apparent weight after the cords have gone slack and the cage is moving upward?

Question

Aldo Andersen

Physics

24 March, 10:17

A 75 kg passenger is seated in a cage in the Sling Shot, a carnival ride. Giant bungee cords are stretched as the cage is pulled down, and then they rebound to launch the cage straight up. After the rapid launch, the cords go slack and the cage moves under the influence of gravity alone. What is the rider's apparent weight after the cords have gone slack and the cage is moving upward?

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Answers (1)

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Esperanza Kelley · Answer 1

The rider's apparent weight after the cords have gone slack and the cage is moving upward is zero.

Explanation:

The actual weight of an object is the downward force exerted upon it by the gravity, it is known as the weight of the object. The upward force, in opposition to the weight, is called the normal force. This force prevents the object from falling.

In this case, the person experiments free fall and does not exert any forces on the floor of the cage. During the elevation, the weight of the person is going to be greater than the actual weight, but once the free fall starts, the person is weightless.