HUM 300 History and Methods of Science

Many are confused with the meaning of he word mass and weight . These sometimes are interchangeable used . Some people use the term weight when they are referring to mass . On some products , weight is used as a reference to mass

Mass is a fundamental quantity of an object . It is the amount of matter in a particular object . The standard unit of mass in SI unit is gram Thus when we say 1 kilogram , this means that there are 1000 grams . In USCS , the standard unit of mass is in slug . However , weight

refers to the force exerted on the body due to gravity . Thus when we say weight the standard unit in SI is in Newton and in USCS is in lb . This was formulated by Isaac Newton . Thus weight (W ) is equal to the mass of the body times the gravity

WEIGHT

SI : W mass (kg ) X acceleration due to gravity (m /s2

USCS : W mass (slug ) X acceleration due to gravity (ft /s2

The effect of both can be notice when we go to an area where the acceleration due to gravity is equal to zero or nearly zero . The effect for this is that we will experience weightlessness . The weight of the body will become zero but the mass will remain the same . The effect of weightlessness is experience by the astronauts on the moon . They will experience no weight . Thus it will be possible for you to carry a car on the moon . You will no longer fell or experience the force exerted but the mass of the car still remain . Things , when there is no gravitational acceleration will float

Due to the fact that weight varies as the amount of the acceleration due to gravity varies , it is best to use mass rather than weight

Work cited

Mass and Weight . Retrieved April 19 , 2007 from

HYPERLINK "http /hyperphysics .phy-astr .gsu .edu /hbase /mass .html http /hyperphysics .phy-astr .gsu .edu /hbase /mass .html

MASS AND WEIGHT

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