Apparent weight

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Apparent weight is the weight that an object seems to have on a scale or when supported by a surface. It is not the same as the actual weight of the object, which is determined by the force of gravity. Apparent weight can change depending on the situation. For example, if you are in an elevator that is moving up or down, your apparent weight will be different from your actual weight. This is because the elevator is accelerating, which means it is changing its speed or direction. When the elevator accelerates, it creates an additional force on you that either adds to or subtracts from the force of gravity. This changes the normal force, which is the force that the surface exerts on you to balance the force of gravity. The normal force is what you feel as your apparent weight.