# moving escalators **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 16, 2003, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-escalators/175670 "2003-05-16T13:28:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![threeorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@threeorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threeorange)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-escalators/175670/1 "2003-05-16T13:28:55Z")
It seems that walking up a moving escalator requires considerably less effort than taking the same number of steps up a stationary staircase. Does the movement of the escalator really create a significant decrease in the energy required, or is this effect mostly psychological? I intuit that the slow movement of the escalator wouldn’t make that much difference, but as my physics education is rather stunted, I had to ask. ---
**Author:** ![db4530](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@db4530](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/db4530)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-escalators/175670/2 "2003-05-16T13:43:47Z")
Have you ever walked on the moving sidewalk in an airport and noticed that even though you feel like you are walking rather slowly, you are still passing up all of the people that aren’t on the moving sidewalk? Its the same thing with escalators. The movement of the escalator causes you to have to take about half as many stairs–a significantly easier task that a whole flight of stairs. To prove my point, try walking up an escalator when its turned off…not as easy. ---
**Author:** ![threeorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@threeorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threeorange)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-escalators/175670/3 "2003-05-16T13:49:52Z")
I guess I should clarify. For example, let’s say it takes 15 steps to walk up a particular moving escalator. Later, you encounter a stationary staircase with 15 steps. The walk up the escalator seems much more effortless than the walk up the staircase. Is there really a big difference in the effort required for these tow ascensions? ---
**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-escalators/175670/4 "2003-05-16T13:56:26Z")
Escalators tend to have lesser grades than some staircases. If you compare the escalator to a staircase with a similar grade, no big deal. But if you compare it to a steep staircase, the walk up the escalator’s 15 steps will seem easier. The rise of the stairs vs the rise of the escaltors steps also plays into the calculation. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-escalators/175670/5 "2003-05-16T14:48:06Z")
Is that really true? It always seems like walking up a stopped escalator is harder than walking up the sets of stairs invariably next to it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-escalators/175670/6 "2003-05-16T15:36:45Z")
Probably because the rise in an escalator is larger than what you’re accustomed to on a regular stairway. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-escalators/175670/7 "2003-05-16T17:07:02Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by threeorange \* > \*\* Does the movement of the escalator really create a significant decrease in the energy required, or is this effect mostly psychological?_\* I would have to say that it’s psychological. You observe that you’re moving much faster than can be accounted for by the effort you’re putting in, and it makes the process seem more efficient. From a physics standpoint, there is no difference between walking up a stationary vs. a moving escalator. Now, if the escalator were accelerating, it would be a different story, but after your initial acceleration – to “catch up” with the escalator --, it behaves exactly the same as a stationary escalator, since, from your frame of reference, it _is_ stationary.