Consequences of motion

📋 Teacher notes

• •Apparent weight = R = m(g + a). When a > 0 (accelerating up), R > mg — person feels heavier.
• •When a < 0 (accelerating down), R < mg — person feels lighter. When a = −g (free fall), R = 0.
• •The scale reads apparent weight, not true weight. This is what WAEC/IGCSE questions actually ask for.
• •Common exam trap: during constant speed (a=0), the person feels exactly their true weight regardless of how fast they're going.
• •Deceleration at the top of an upward journey = acceleration downward → lighter feeling, not heavier.