Normal Force Elevator Physics (Why do I Feel Lighter or Heavier? Explained)

Ever wonder why you feel lighter or heavier in an elevator? In this video we will be going over the normal force of a person in an elevator and how it changes when the elevator accelerates up or down. To clarify normal force is the force that the floor of the elevator pushes on you. Normal force is equal to what your weight feels like in the elevator. Normal force is equal to the mass of the person in the elevator times the relative acceleration.
Lets first start off with a person in a stationary elevator. The only acceleration felt by the person in the elevator is the acceleration due to gravity. So the normal force is mass times the acceleration due to gravity. You feel like you weigh the same as you do outside of the elevator.
Now lets look at the example where the elevator is accelerating upwards or coming to a stop while going downwards. It is important to note that the normal force only changes when accelerating. There is no change in normal force at constant velocity. So if we look at the acceleration due to motion verse the acceleration due to gravity we notice that the two acceleration s are fighting each other.
We can think in terms of a tug of war. If we put the person in the elevator between two teams, one team with a rope attached to the elevator (acceleration due to motion) and one with a rope attached to the person (acceleration due to gravity) The two teams are pulling in opposite directions the force on the scale the person in the elevator is standing on increases.
Going back to the elevator example we add the accelerations and multiply times mass of the person to get the normal force when the elevator is accelerating upwards. In this case you feel heavier.
To finish off this video lets look at what happens when the elevator accelerates downward or comes to a stop while going upwards.
Looking at the tug of war example both teams are pulling the rope in the same direction one team a little slower than the other. This results in a reduce force on the scale the person in the elevator is standing on.
Back to the elevator example we see that the normal force equals the mass times the difference of the acceleartions. You will feel lighter if you are accelerating downward.

Disclaimer
These videos are intended for educational purposes only (students trying to pass a class) If you design or build something based off of these videos you do so at your own risk. I am not a professional engineer and this should not be considered engineering advice. Consult an engineer if you feel you may put someone at risk.

[tinanagy]

Great explanation. I've been struggling with newtons laws regarding the elevator, but now I get it!

[Moazz]

Help me understand this.
so we have our Fg which is our real weight, if something is exerting force in an opposite direction shouldn't the Fnet = Fg-Fx??

[usaywhat]

I am still confused though. Is it because of oversimplification from textbooks or examples or is it just me?

Even if the elevator is not accelerating anymore but is moving up at a constant speed, you should still feel heavier right(compared to if the elevator was stationary)? Because gravity is accelerating you down constantly. So even if you aren't accelerating away from the earth, only moving at a constant speed away from the earth, you feel heavier.

Please correct me if I am wrong. Thank you.