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Chapter 1: Problem 8

What are the units of measurement for weight and for mass?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Mass is typically measured in kilograms (kg) or grams (g), while weight is measured in newtons (N) or pounds-force (lbf).

Step by step solution

01

Define Mass

Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object, typically measured in kilograms (kg), grams (g), or milligrams (mg) in the metric system, and in pounds (lb) or ounces (oz) in the US customary and British imperial systems.
02

Define Weight

Weight is a measure of the force exerted on an object's mass by gravity. It is measured in newtons (N) in the International System of Units (SI), and in pounds-force (lbf) or ounces-force (ozf) in the US customary and British imperial systems.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Mass and Matter
Mass is a fundamental property of matter, which is anything that occupies space and has mass. Unlike weight, mass does not change with location, even though weight changes with changes in gravity.

For instance, a 1-kilogram mass will always be 1 kilogram whether it's on Earth, the Moon, or floating in space, because it is a measure of the amount of matter in an object, not influenced by gravity. This is crucial in sciences like chemistry and physics, where consistent measurements are necessary.
Metric System
The metric system is a decimal-based system of measurement used around the world. It is known for its simplicity and ease of conversion between units.

For example, mass is typically measured in kilograms, grams, and milligrams, with 1000 milligrams in a gram and 1000 grams in a kilogram. This simplicity makes calculations much more straightforward, aiding in both education and professional applications.
International System of Units
The International System of Units (SI) is the modern form of the metric system and is the most widely used system of measurement for science and commerce.

The SI unit for mass is the kilogram (kg), and for weight, it's the newton (N). The kilogram is defined by the physical properties of a specific platinum-iridium alloy sample stored in France, while one newton is the force needed to accelerate one kilogram of mass at the rate of one meter per second squared.
Gravity and Weight
Weight is a force that results from the acceleration due to gravity acting on mass. As gravity varies slightly across the Earth's surface and significantly in space, weight can also vary.

On Earth, the average acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.81 meters per second squared, which is why an object's weight will be the product of its mass in kilograms and this acceleration, giving a force in newtons. Remembering that weight is a variable measure unlike mass, helps prevent confusing the two in scientific and everyday contexts.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

An airplane starting from rest at one end of a runway accelerates uniformly at \(4.0 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}^{2}\) for \(15 \mathrm{~s}\) before takeoff. (a) What is its takeoff speed? (b) Show that the plane travels along the runway a distance of \(450 \mathrm{~m}\) before takeoff.

Asteroids have been moving through space for billions of years. A friend says that initial forces applied long ago keep them moving. Do you and your friend agree?

Consider a freely falling object dropped from rest. What is its acceleration at the end of \(5 \mathrm{~s}\) ? At the end of \(10 \mathrm{~s}\) ? Defend your answer (and distinguish between velocity and acceleration).

A ball is thrown straight up with enough speed so that it is in the air for several seconds. (a) What is the velocity of the ball when it reaches its highest point? (b) What is its velocity \(1 \mathrm{~s}\) before it reaches its highest point? (c) What is the change in its velocity, \(\Delta v\), during this \(1-\mathrm{s}\) interval? (d) What is its velocity \(1 \mathrm{~s}\) after it reaches its highest point? (e) What is the change in its velocity, \(\Delta v\), during this \(1-\mathrm{s}\) interval? (f) What is the change in its velocity, \(\Delta v\), during the \(2-\mathrm{s}\) interval from \(1 \mathrm{~s}\) before it reaches the highest point to \(1 \mathrm{~s}\) after it reaches the highest point?

Because Earth rotates once every 24 hours, the west wall in your room moves in a direction toward you at a linear speed that is probably more than \(1000 \mathrm{~km}\) per hour (the exact speed depends on your latitude). When you stand facing the wall, you are carried along at the same speed, so you don't notice it. But when you jump upward, with your feet no longer in contact with the floor, why doesn't the high-speed wall slam into you?
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