When else would your weight be greater than normal according to the motion described?

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Enhance your knowledge for the ASU PHY101 Exam. Prepare with multiple choice questions, flashcards, and explanations. Get exam ready with ease!

Your weight is the force that gravity exerts on you, which is measured as your apparent weight depending on the acceleration of the system you're in, such as an elevator. When the elevator moves down while slowing in speed, it creates a scenario where you would feel heavier than your normal weight.

During this motion, as the elevator decelerates, it creates an upward acceleration relative to your body's weight. This means that the force the scale exerts on you—your apparent weight—compensates not only for the gravitational pull but also for the additional upward force caused by the elevator's deceleration. Therefore, your total weight measured at this moment would be greater than the normal weight measured when the elevator is at rest or moving at a constant velocity.

In contrast, in scenarios where the elevator moves downward without accelerating, descends quickly, or makes a stop, the forces at play do not contribute to an increase in your apparent weight. In those cases, either there's no additional force acting upwards against gravity or the forces would counteract in such a way that your weight remains normal or even feels lighter.

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