What is the difference between mass and weight?

Learn about the distinction between mass and weight and understand how they differ in the context of physics. Discover the fundamental principles governing these two concepts and how they play a crucial role in our understanding of the physical world.

What is the difference between mass and weight?
Aiden Oct-17-2024 05:30:21
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1 Answer

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What is the difference between mass and weight?

In physics, mass and weight are two fundamental concepts that are often confused but have distinct meanings. Mass refers to the amount of matter in an object and is a measure of inertia, which is the resistance of an object to changes in its motion. Mass is a scalar quantity and is typically measured in kilograms (kg) or grams (g).

On the other hand, weight is the force exerted on an object due to gravity. It is a vector quantity and is equal to the mass of an object multiplied by the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s^2 on Earth). Weight is typically measured in newtons (N) or pounds (lbs).

Distinction and explanation:

The key difference between mass and weight is that mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object, whereas weight is a measure of the force of gravity acting on an object. In other words, mass remains constant regardless of the location, whereas weight can vary depending on the gravitational pull.

Importance in physics:

Understanding the distinction between mass and weight is crucial in physics as it helps in accurate measurement, calculation, and prediction of the behavior of objects in different gravitational fields. Mass and weight play a significant role in various scientific disciplines and are essential for studying the physical world.

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Carl
6 Ques 1 Ans
answered 17 Oct 2024

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