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Mass, Weight, Density

Mass


  • Mass is the measure of the amount of substance in a body.
  • Unit of mass: kilogram (kg), gram (g)
  • Scalar quantity
  • Measured using a beam balance
  • Fixed value
  • Inertia is directly proportional to mass. Inertia is the object’s reluctance to start/stop moving.

Volume

  • Volume is amount of space the object occupies.
  • The volume of the solid/liquid can be obtained using a measuring cylinder
  •  The volume of a regularly shaped solid or an irregularly shaped solid which sinks in water can be determined using displacement method.

Gravitational field

  • Gravitational field is a region in which a mass experiences a force due to gravitational attraction.
  • The strength of the gravitational field is due to the mass of the planet
  • Gravitational field strength, g, measures the strength of the gravitational field
  • Unit of gravitational field strength: Nkg-1
  • g = 10 Nkg-1 at the surface of the Earth
  • The strength of the gravitational field decreases as we get further away from the planet

Weight

  • Weight is the gravitational force on the body.
  • Units: Newton (N)
  • Vector quantity. Points downward.
  • Measured using a spring balance
  • Weight = mass × gravitational field strength
  • Weight depends on the distance of the object from the planet

Density

  • Density is mass per unit volume
  • Units of density: kgm-3, gcm-3 (1000kgm-3 = 1gcm-3)
  • density = mass/volume.
  • Scalar quantity
  • Depends on type of material. Objects of different sizes made up of the same material will have the same density.
  • The density of object can be obtained by measuring both the mass (beam balance) and volume of the object (displacement method). Then, use the equation (density = mass/volume)
  • Average density = total mass/total volume
  • Generally, heating causes an increase in volume without an increase in the mass. Density decreases. (Convection)
  • If the object has a higher density than the surrounding medium, the object will sink. If the object has a lower density than the surrounding medium, the object will float. If the object has the same density as the surrounding medium, the object will suspend in the medium

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