Science snowboarding question?

Question

What forces are acting on a person as they ride the chair lift up a mountain?

I know there are lift, thrust, drag, and gravity. But how do they relate to the person on the lift?

Are there any other forces acting?

Thanks!

Answer 1

The motor of the lift supplies force along the direction of the cable that it is pulling, the lift towers and wheels convert part of that forward motion into upward motion.

Therefore the chair lift is providing force in a forward and upward direction at the same time. This force can be separated into two force vectors - an upward force component and forward force component.

The chair lift is providing force in an upward direction which is opposed by gravity acting on the mass of the person. The upward force on the person is greater than that of gravity so the person is lifted.

The lift is also supplying force in a forward direction overcoming the zero momentum of the person which moves him forward.

There might be drag from air resistance, but it would be minor.

Good Luck

Answer 2

inertia???