Apparent weight (force on a support): formulas and units of measurement

Note: The sign depends on the direction of acceleration; P = N for a body on a support without vertical acceleration.

P

Weight is the force with which the body acts on a support or suspension.

m

Mass is a scalar physical quantity that is a measure of the inertia of a body.

g

Gravity acceleration is the acceleration of a body under the influence of gravity without taking into account the resistance of the medium.

a

Acceleration is the rate of change of a body's velocity.

N

The support reaction force (normal pressure force) is the force with which the support acts on the body perpendicular to the surface.