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People often mix the terms “weight” and “mass” since gravity on Earth is almost constant, hence the quantities are nearly identical.
However, if you compare weight on Earth to weight on the Moon, you’ll get different results. Your mass would stay the same on the Moon, but your weight would be different owing to the difference in acceleration due to gravity.
Weight and Mass –
1. Definition of The Term “Mass”
The mass may be defined as the amount of material that makes up an item. One way to think about it is that the mass of an object may be measured by the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons that are present in it. Throughout the cosmos, your mass remains constant.
As a result, when we apply a net force to an item, mass refers to both the physical attribute of the object and the measure of the object’s resistance to acceleration.
Furthermore, the most often used mass units are kilograms and grams.
Even astronauts on the International Space Station, who are weightless, have mass: they must use effort to push themselves off the walls or drag themselves forward, and the larger they are, the more force is required.
2. Definition of The Term “Weight”
The weight of an item refers to the force that is exerted on it as a result of gravity acting on the thing. Depending on who you ask, some may define it as a vector quantity, referring to the gravity acting on the item.
While some describe it as a scalar quantity, which is the amount of gravity, others define it as a vector quantity.
As a result, we see the gravitational interaction between things with mass, and when the object interacts with the Earth, the gravitational force exerted will be the weight of the object.
Newton and pound are the units of weight.
The force exerted on an entity by gravity, or the force required to maintain it is measured by its weight.
3. Mass and Weight Units
We often use grams, kilograms, ounces, and pounds to measure weight. Grams (g) and kilograms (kg) are mass units in technical terms.
The Newton (N) is the SI unit of force, with a 1-kilogram mass exerting a force of 9.8 N on Earth.
The pound (lb) is the unit of force in the United States, whereas the slug is the unit of mass.
The force needed to move a 1 slug mass at 1 ft/s2 is one pound. A single slug weighs 32.2 pounds.
While most practical uses allow for the interchangeability of pounds and kilograms, in science, kilograms for mass and Newtons for force are preferred.
Also to be noted-
- A beam balance may be used to determine mass.
- A spring balance is used to determine weight.
The Difference Between Weight and Mass
Mass is a measure of Inertia, while Weight is a measure of Force. Many people often confuse these two names and use them in the same way.
There can never be zero mass. However, when there is no gravity acting on an item, such as in space, the weight might be zero.
Mass is constant regardless of location. Weight varies depending on where you are.
The distinction between mass and weight is that mass refers to the quantity of matter in an item, while weight refers to the gravitational influence on that mass.
In other words, gravity gives weight to a mass. A simple equation describes the link between mass and weight:
Gravitational Force
There is no spot on the face of the Earth where gravity does not operate. This implies that everything we encounter is positioned in the gravitational field of the Earth and is therefore influenced by at least one force, gravity.
To keep the physical foundation of the relationship in mind, we recommend calling it the object’s gravity force.
Gravity pulls you towards the center of the Earth, or, to put it another way, downwards. The gravity arrow should be drawn straight downwards from the center of an item.
Of course, the gravitational narrative extends well beyond the Earth. Gravity is a universal force that operates between any two mass objects, no matter where they are in the universe.
6 Points of Differences Between Weight and Mass –
- The mass of an item is a statement of the entire amount of matter in the thing, while weight is the sum of gravity acting on that mass.
- The weight will fluctuate based on the amount of gravitational attraction that acts upon it. Mass is a constant variable that will not change owing to location or chemical processes.
- Weight is a vector quantity that measures both magnitude and direction of a gravitational attraction, while mass is a scalar number that measures simply a magnitude.
- When discussed in broad terms, the fact that grams, kilograms, and tonnes are all mass units might be confusing.
- A spring balance is required to precisely measure weight, however, conventional scales may also provide an accurate approximation. A triple beam or electronic balance is required to measure mass.
- A scalar quantity is a mass. It has magnitude. A vector quantity is a weight. It has a size and a movement.
Conclusion: Weight and Mass
In everyday conversation, the word, weight, and mass are commonly misunderstood since we often employ units of measurement for mass while discussing the weight of an item.
Despite their similarities, the two names refer to two separate ideas; nevertheless, the distinctions are not readily apparent to ordinary people on Earth.
The main difference is that mass is constant and is a measure of the quantity of physical substance in a particular object, while weight is the total of gravitational forces acting on that mass.
Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology
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